Remixed: The Fire In Your Heart
by Three-Sixteen
Summary: Yuna, Rikku, and Paine made a deal with Maleficent to go and capture the Keyblade Master in exchange 4 there bodies. Though it didn't go the way they planned it. Now their castaway, and the only person to turn to is the the person they sought to rid of...
1. Unexpected Trio

**Chapter One: The Unexpected Trio**

Sora sat on the on the tree, where Riku, Kairi, and himself used to sit and hang around, remembering the time when Riku had joked about the paupu fruit, and other memories that came to his mind. But he wasn't with anybody at the time; no one was in sight, only Sora who sat there watching the sun sinking into the sea. After all he went through, oh how he missed just watching it. Then a peaceful smirk appeared on his face, and he lied on the tree branch crossing his feet and resting his hands behind his head closing his eyes. Being back home was a bliss.

It was only a few days after his fight with Xemnas, and he had been exhausted after those few battles. He remembered exactly what happened during that brawl, every word and blow. Though a question would come to his mind often...

"_How did I make it through all that?" _

It wasn't weird enough that he was chosen the Keyblade Master from the start, but he also questioned if it could have been someone else instead. That one question lead to a huge chain of many other questions, all the way to the beginning of when had that 'bizarre' dream. Knowing how Riku had accepted the darkness at first and had become a slave to it…what if that could have been him? The thought troubled him greatly. He pondered on more for awhile longer...

"_Was it luck that I made here safe without dying…or is it that there was something with me throughout my entire journey?" _

In each battle he felt a presence as if something were there or if someone were watching over him. Could that be even possible? No one was there besides Goofy and Donald. Even in a battle when it seems that there was no hope in fighting anymore, there was a sweet voice that would whisper in his ear "_Keep fighting! Don't give up!" _The voice would say. Even more questions that needed answers. So Sora just ignored the questions and just rested on the branch while the calm, coolness, and gentleness of the wind swept pass his hair. Then eventually he fell fast asleep, as the sun sets and the night began its shift.

"Is he awake?" A girl spoke.

"Well, his eyes are closed!" Another girl spoke after.

"You have to get him up!" Shouted yet another girl. "We have no time to play around!"

The three girls floated around Sora wondering how to wake up the Keyblade Master. Yet two out of the three girls were afraid to disturb him. They continue to watch him sleep. One of the three became inpatient and frustrated.

"This is taking too long!" She shouted. "Yuna, you wake him up!"

Yuna heart skipped a beat, "Wha-a, why me? I don't want to do it!" She turned to look at him, "He so peaceful when he sleeps." Yuna commented with a smile.

One of the girls snickered, "Yunie is fallen for a boy! Ha-ha!" She teased.

Yuna blushed a bit, "No, I'm not Rikku!" She shouted.

"Shut up, both of you!" The other girl said. "If one of you don't wake him up then I will!"

"You don't have to, Paine." Rikku said, "Look! He's waking up!"

The three flew close to Sora's face, while he slowly opened his eyes. He saw three small figures floating closer and closer toward him in unison with their eyes wide open. That moment Sora quickly jumped up in fear.

"AAAAAAHHH!" He shouted aloud as he fell off the tree branch and down into the water head first.

Yuna and Rikku laughed, while Paine stood there with her fingers rubbing between her eyes in frustration.

While in the water Sora, swam quickly to shore. When he reached the shore, drenched in his black clothes, he held his chest, coughing up water.

"Hey you!" Yuna appeared in front of him. "Are you Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora quickly looked up and jumped back. "Who are you?"

Rikku crossed her arms, "You don't remember us?"

Sora had to think for a second until he realized that he was talking to the three fairy girls he meet at the Radiant Garden. Relieved, Sora calmed himself and said, "Yeah, I remember you three..." Then he quickly called forth his Keyblade and held it up in his stance and pointed the blade up at Yuna. Yuna eyes widened as the blade pointed at her. "You three are helping Maleficent!" He shouted, "What do you want?"

Rikku flew between the Keyblade and Yuna. "No! It's not like that anymore!"

"It's Maleficent..." Paine flew by Yuna and Rikku. "She lied to us and us about a deal!"

"What?...Maleficent?" He thought for a second and lowered his blade, "…Deal? What deal?" He gave an open ear to listen out of interest.

With assurance that Sora wasn't going to be violent and listen to what they have to say, Yuna spoke up, "Have you ever wondered why we're small and flying around like this?" she asked, posing like a fairy.

Sora looked at the tiny person. They were tiny and floating around in mid-air which gave away the fact that they were fairies! Though, he always wondered why they were a bit small, though he always thought they were just…unique! "No I haven't. If you were working with Maleficent then you brought this on yourself!"

Rikku was offended by the comment, and flew in front of his face, and looked at him eye to eye, "How can you say that?" She yelled.

Sora stared at Rikku, small and aloft in the air, who was nose and nose with him. He still didn't understand why.

Then Paine spoke out. "We weren't always like this. We were once human Y'know!"

Sora's eyes widened,_ "Human?" _It was indeed a hard thing to comprehend.

The Yuna continued for her. "It was long before we met you, that we turned into these… fairies! Maleficent told us that if we lead you to her that she will turn us back to normal!"

Sora put on a serious face, "Then why are you coming to me? You three worked with Maleficent to try to kill me! Why don't you get help somewhere else?"

Yuna shook her head in disagreement. "B-But we didn't know! When we were with Maleficent, we think we would hurt anybody! We just did what we were told, just to find you. After awhile of searching, we gave Maleficent a bad report that we couldn't find you…So she didn't hold her end of the bargain!"

Paine then spoke right after, "Then it wasn't long after, that we had overheard that Maleficent trying to get rid of a boy name Sora…we figured it was you and we try looking for you again."

"Maleficent didn't tell you my name?" Sora asked with a questionable look on his face.

Rikku shook her head. "She only told us to find a boy in a black uniform, with spiky hair that had the title of the Keyblade Master and that was all she said."

It didn't make sense to Sora at all. What was the purpose for them coming to him in the first place? Yet, another set of question appeared in his mind? He hated thinking too much! "You need me…Why?"

Yuna flew in front of him, "We need you to get us back to normal!" she said in a sad tone..

Rikku spoke up, "Which shouldn't be a problem because we heard that you battled Maleficent!" Yuna and Paine quickly turned to Rikku,interested in what she had to say. Then Rikku continued with excitement and enthusiasm. "The way I heard it was so crazy! But the best part was fought her when see turned into a dragon!"

Then there was silence, "…I never knew that." Paine said coolly, breaking the silence.

Sora remembered that battle. It was dreadful and bloody fight, he wondered how he managed to leave the fight alive. That Dragon was enormous and would put fear into anyone who stood against her…but not Sora. It was his courage and the support of his friends that he was able to slay her. But he would be on his own if he decided to help them.

Yuna and Paine never knew that Sora had battled Maleficent as a dragon! The two looked at Sora in amazement and full of hope. Now that they have found out the Sora had taken on their worst enemy and survived. They knew that he was the one to be able to regain their bodies.

Sora shook his head. "I had help with Donald and Goofy around, but they're back with King Mickey and I don't want to disturb them. They are the reason why I stll stand and I couldn't have done it without them!" He said. He never wanted Donald and Goofy to tire them of another adventure, even Sora himself didn't want to go through this adventure.

"If that's the case...we'll help you!" Yuna said, "I mean…we may be defenseless without weapons but we have a full load of magic."

"Yeah! Great idea, Yunie!" Rikku said in excitement, "We can keep you company too."

Sora lowered his head, crossing his arms with one hand rubbing between his eyes, pondering on whether to accept the request or not. He really was hoping to just relax back at his home and he longed to see everyone again.

Then Yuna flew toward him and placed her tiny hand on his shoulder, "Please help us." she begged, "I…_we_ don't want to be like this forever." She said, choking in her words with a single tear rolling down her cheek.

Sora kept his head down, "I don't know…"

"...SORA!"

He quickly turned and saw Kairi and Riku running to them. But when he looked back at the three fairies…they were gone.

"We heard a scream and we came rushing down here to see if everything is okay." Kairi said in worry.

"It sounded like you were talking to someone just now." Riku spoke up, "Who were you talking to?"

From all that he heard, he had decided to keep it to himself to not cause any worry. What was important was that he was home and that he would not have to worry about anything else. Though the thought was in the back of his mind and it disturbed already, "Nobody, I was just reflecting back on the past, that's it!" He bluffed and then smiled.

"Well its getting late, so let's head back." Riku said as he threw his arm over Sora and continued talking as the three walked back to their homes.

The three fairies hid in a bush watching Sora and his friends leave the island.


	2. Choice to be made

**Chapter Two: A choice to be made**

It has been a few hour later since Sora saw those three fairies. At night, Sora had thought about them and how they approached him. He always liked to help others especially when they feel helpless, but he couldn't stand the fact those girls were out to get rid of him in the first place!

"_Why would they need my help anyway?" _He thought _"I not sure if I should trust them. How do I know that they're telling me the truth...?" _Then he thought about what one of the fairies said _"…Well, they said they didn't know about what Maleficent was planning. That pretty brown-haired fairy seemed very desperate to get her body back, and she looked like she was about to tear up…what was there names again?"_ Yet, another question clouded his mind! _"What a pain!!!"_

The night wore on and Sora couldn't get any sleep from all the questions in his mind. He got up from his bed and went up to the roof of his house. He climbed to the very top of the house and sat down, looking up at the moon. The moon's size was unusually huge this night, it was gorgeous. The moon was large enough to number the craters implanted within. Sora just sat there glaring up and enjoying the view of the moon.

"I love watching the moon." A voice appeared from behind him

Sora shifted his head to Yuna who sat at his right shoulder.

"How about you?" She asked Sora.

Sora smiled and continued to stare at the moon. "Yeah, the moon is great."

There was silence for a second until Yuna spoke again, "Y'know, before I became this tiny person, I would always sit at a high place and glare at the wonderful sights that the world had to offer...of course I just couldn't sit there by myself. I would always have Rikku around to keep me company."

"Rikku?" Sora asked. He knew that she wasn't talking about the same Riku he thought of.

"The small blondie that got in your face earlier. Remember?"

Sora remembered, "Is she always like that…up in other people's faces?" He asked.

Yuna giggled, "No, she just got offended from what you said."

Sora felt guilty, he didn't realized that from he he said would offend them. "Sorry…I didn't know." Sora apologized.

"No problem!" Yuna said with a big smile.

Then there was another silence and a slight awkwardness in the conversation between the two. They were just staring at the moon. After a minute of silence Sora asked one of the questions that have been on his mind…but he didn't even know there names yet!

"What's your name?" Sora hesitated.

"Yuna." She answered.

_"Yuna…" _He thought, "Yuna...Let's say that I did try to help you three to get you back to normal…what if I can't help you?"

Yuna look at him, not understanding why he wouldn't be able to, "What do you mean?"

Sora turned to her, "To think that I'm here still breathing air...the fact that I'm still alive...I had help from my friends, they are the reason for surviving all this. If I go with you and try to fight Maleficent a second time, I wouldn't be so lucky!"

Yuna shook her head in disagreement, "But you're are still here…right? You believe in your friends that they were able to get you through. You see, it's all about believing."

"Believing?" Sora asked, "I believe!"

"Well, not if you saying stuff like that!" Yuna scolded. "It doesn't matter what you see with your own eyes, but what you feel what's right in your heart."

Sora felt better and relieved, like a burden of questions was lifted off him. Was it because he believed that he was able to make it through? That light shining within him…was that the source of his strength?

Then flew right in front of him and pointed at his chest, where his heart was at. "What is this?"

Sora looked to where she was pointing at…his heart! Was this a rhetorical question? "That's my heart!" It was kind of a silly question to ask, since both of them knew what Yuna was pointing to.

"No it isn't!" Yuna scolded, "It's a torch!"

"_What the…a torch?" _Sora thought. That was a ridiculous answer. What does a torch have to do with me? He stared at Yuna, not understanding what she was trying to pull across to him. "A...torch?"

"Doesn't fire shine light from the torch!" Yuna pointed out. "The fire will burn passionately around the people that you meet. The light that shines from will attract them to you!" Then Yuna giggled happily, "It's time for you to start believing the impossible, Sora. As long as you believe that, you will be capable of so much more!"

Sora placed his hand on his chest where his heart was, believing what Yuna had told him. "A torch, huh?" Sora understood now. The torch symbolized the heart. The fire symbolized the heart's strength. The light that shined symbolized it's power. The power of to resist the darkness and the power to help others. Then Sora realized, throughout his visits to others worlds everyone who he helped, Aladdin, Beast, Mulan...they were able to overcome there enemy, with his help. _"Believing in the impossible..." _He thought.

"When I saw you, I had a strong feeling that you were able to help us. I have no doubt in my heart that you can bring us back to normal! You have a strong heart, Sora!" Yuna concluded.

Sora felt encouraged from what she said. Now he felt like he has been with Donald and Goofy…he felt he was able to take on whatever came in his way! He stood up and smiled. "Okay, then its settled! I'll help you!"

Sora felt something clench tightly on his back, something small! Sora freaked out. "What the heck is that?!" Sora shouted reaching for his back.

"Thank you-thank you-thank you!!!" Rikku said repeatedly, hugging Sora's back and holding on tight.

"Rikku!" Yuna shouted, "Get off you're scaring him!"

Rikku got off him, "Sorry…guess I got too excited."

Sora took a breath before continued talking, "Okay…before we set out, I would like to know your names!" He demanded.

"I'm Rikku!" She introduced herself with a cute smile. "I'm cute, spunky, all-around girl you will ever meet, 'kay?"

He nodded. Sora already knew Yuna, but he couldn't see the other one. "Weren't their three of you?"

"I'm Paine..." Paine said nonchalantly floating into the scene out of nowhere.

"_Yuna, Rikku, and Paine." _He thought himself as he looked at each of them, then he just smiled, "Alright then, so when do we leave?"

"Right now!" Yuna answered.


	3. Letter GoodBye

**Chapter Three: The Letter Good-Bye**

"Right now!" Yuna answered.

"Right now?!" Sora shouted. A spontaneous decision made the pretty brown haired fairy! Sora couldn't get a second opinion. "Why now?!"

"The sooner we get our bodies back, then the sooner we'll leave you alone!" Paine said harshly.

It was all happening like the way it first had happen. When Sora was first crowned Keyblade Master. This time the island wasn't being destroy, but now he had to leave on his own, without saying good-bye to his friends. He wasn't going to do that this time! "Umm...I would like to write a letter to my friends telling them goodbye, if you don't mind."

"Sure." Yuna said. Then in a white spark of light appeared a quill full of ink and paper.

Sora took the quill and paper and tried writing. Rikku who was hovering over his head was prying down into the paper. Sora couldn't finishing feeling that he needed time think about what he wrote and without someone looking over his shoulder! He stopped writing. "Could you three meet me back at the island?" He asked them, "I have a few things I have to do before I go."

The girls formed a circle and whispered to themselves, wondering if he will show up. After a minute, they decided to let him go.

Yuna smiled, "Go ahead...but..."

Rikku interrupted and flew in Sora's face glaring at him with a mean look, "But if you ditch us, I SWEAR when we see each other again...you will regret it!" she said angrily.

Convinced Sora nodded and went back into his house, while the girls went to the island and waited.

**Kairi's Place**

Sora had finished the letter as soon as he gotten into his house, and as soon as he finished the letter he went over to Kairi's. He thought about leaving the letter with his parents, but they would call in everyone to come and look for me. He also thought about leaving the letter to Riku, but knowing him, he would have caught him before he was able to leave the letter. So who better then Kairi? She would have understood why he had to leave.

Sora walked on Kairi's balcony, peering through the glass sliding doors at Kairi who was fast asleep under her sheets. He stealthily opened the doors and enter the room quietly. Since his black outfit suited well for the night, it would be breeze getting in and out...so he thought, if the light of the moon didn't hit him. He gazed around, looking for a spot to place the letter. There was a desk next to Kairi's bed...it was a good place to put it on! He quietly walked over, placing the letter down carefully, but then suddenly he heard Kairi moaning, turning sides on her bed. Sora eyes widened hoping that she would wake up. She stopped turning and fell back to sleep, Sora was relieved, but he saw that she was shivering from the cold. He looked back toward the sliding door. _"I forgot to close the door!!" _He shouted in his thoughts.

He reacted quick and put down the letter and headed out the door.

"...Sora?" A voice appeared from behind him.

Chills shot down Sora's spine from the voice and covered his face in embarrassment. He had wished that he hadn't placed the letter in her room. The mailbox would probably been better.

He turned around. Kairi had woken up. She cover herself with the sheets she slept in. "What are you doing here?" She scolded giving him a stern look.

Sora kept quiet, still feeling embarrassed even to say something and that fact that he was in her room at night. Kairi noticed the letter that rested on the desk next to her. She picked it up and started reading through it, with Sora just standing there. Sora stood looking and felt stupid, he shook his head in defeat hoping that Kairi wasn't going to blast on him. _"Please Kairi...don't get mad!" _He begged.

"Your leaving Sora...again?" Kairi asked gently.

Feeling worst then before Sora just nodded.

Kairi walked to him and look in his eyes. "Will you come back?"

Sora was surprised that she didn't get angry, "Don't be angry Kairi!" He said calmly with a smile. He held her by the bare flesh of her shoulders and glared in her eyes. "I only be gone for a little while, I just want to help new friends!"

She held up the letter she gave him, "Your going up against Maleficent! Are you sure you'll be okay? How do I know your new fairy friends won't turn you over to her?"

Sora felt deep down in his heart that he was doing the right thing, even under the worst circumstance he knew that he make it out alright. He simply smiled, "I have something to fight for, don't worry Kairi." He said softly, holding up her lucky charm that she gave to him from way back when.

She smiled with a small tear that ran down her cheek. Sora wiped the tear off her face and hugged her for their farewell. While she was in his arms, she wept bitterly and planted her face into his jacket feeling the warm and comfort of his embrace.

After a while he released her, and left the room, leaving from her balcony. She stood in the middle of the room. "Sora...please come back soon!"

**Meanwhile...**

Back at the island, "I don't blame him if he ditches us." Yuna said abruptly hovering around the shores of the beach. "We come up to him and drop our issues on him out of nowhere, just because we can't help ourselves...I feel kinda embarrassed."

The girls hovered around the island, waiting for Sora to return. Rikku started playing with sand on the shore, picking up and letting specks of sand drop slowly in a pile. Paine crossed her arms and grew impatient of waiting. "Where the hell is he?!" She shouted.

"Here I am, sorry for keeping you waiting." Sora appeared from the port where all the boats were tied to a wooden pole.

"Look at that." Paine said nonchalantly, "He did come after all..."

He smiled, "Y'know I still don't understand why were going so late."

"It's not late in Traverse Town." Rikku said.

_"Traverse town?"_ It has been awhile since Sora's been there, and doesn't remember how it was like there. "Why are we going to Traverse Town?" He asked.

"To go see Merlin's old place!" Rikku continued, "There must be a way to reach Maleficent!"

"Can I just face her now and get it over with?" He asked.

"Sure!" Rikku said sarcastically, "But we don't even know how to get to her place."

Sora had on a confused look. "You girls don't know where she is?"

"She's in a place between dimensions." Paine said calmly, "The only way to get to her is to create a something that would have the power to enter that realm…we think the old man has some clues that might help."

"How do we get there if we have no ship to travel on?" Sora asked.

"You ask too many questions Sora, trust us!" Rikku said with a smile.

"Alright, then let's go!" Sora charged.

"Is everyone ready?" Yuna said, "Okay then…we're off!"

The three girls circled around Sora and put there hands out. Suddenly Sora closed his eyes.


	4. Where it all began

**Chapter Four: Back to Where it First Began**

When Sora opened his eyes, he had realized that ended up in the same alleyway when he first appeared in Traverse town. The crate by the building, and an alleyway that Donald, Goofy, and himself broke down to get to the next alley. Also it was the same spot where Pluto found him sitting down.

The girls floated around him. When Sora tried to walk he stumbled around a bit then fell down to his knees. He stomach felt turned, and his legs felt a little numb, though the experience felt if he had went through a warp gate on a gummi ship. Warping was something that he had to get used to, without the ship.

Yuna flew down under Sora pushing up by his arm and helping him stand, "Warping is something you'll get used." Yuna smiled.

"Yeah…sure does!" Sora chuckled.

When he fallen, he noticed a large brown paper that is labeled 'WANTED' on it. He picked it up and started gazing through the paper reading the description aloud. "There are three fairies that have been lurking around Traverse Town, who been stealing material items from the local shops. If found, DEAD or ALIVE, they are to report to Yuffie for their reward." Sora concluded.

Sora turned to them and gave them a stern look. Yuna rubbed her arm in shame while Rikku twiddled her fingers in embarrassment…Paine didn't really care much, and indifferently floated around.

"Have you three been stealing?" He asked in a serious tone.

"Well…it's not what you think." Yuna said, "We _borrowed_ a few things from the people and we just didn't have time to give it back!"

"You _borrowed_…huh?" He laughed sarcastically, "What stuff did you..._borrow_?"

"Trust me…you wouldn't believe us if we told you!" Rikku smiled.

Sora rubbed his eyes. Knowing that he was with thieves, disturbed him. If they were seen or caught, everyone would think that he was helping them, which would mess up his reputation as the Keyblade Master. "Just to be safe, you three should stay hidden until we get to Merlin's, alright?"

"…But where should we hide?" Rikku asked.

Then suddenly Sora heard foot steps. His eyes widened as the foot steps were getting louder and louder. "Quick, hide!" Sora shouted.

The girls hide behind the crate nearby and stood quiet. Sora turned around to face the person coming in. The shadow of the person grew larger, but it wasn't a man but a women. Soon enough, it was Yuffie turned the corner of the building.

She looks at Sora and her eyes shot open in excitement, "Sora!" She shouted, as she ran to him, giving him a tight hug. Sora felt relieved to know it was and hug her back weakly. "It's nice to see you, how you been?" Yuffie asked.

Sora shrugged and laughed, "Just passing around Y'know, just wanted to see you and Leon again." He bluffed.

"Well, Leon is still at the Radiant Garden taking care of business over there. I'm here as the new head leader in Traverse town for a little theft problem."

"Really?!" Sora said with a smile, _"…That means we have to be extra careful!"_ He thought. Yuffie was a high class ninja, nothing could get by her. In a tournament from fighting Yuffie and Sora and her were nearly close. It was even worst that she was the 'big cheese' here at Traverse town.

Yuffie noticed the paper Sora was holding, "Oh yeah! We had posted up a bulletin about the thieves that been wandering around here!" She pulled out her massively large shuriken. "I'll find them before you can say 'Yuffie, the greatest ninja there is!'"

"Sure…um…Yuffie" Sora interrupted, "I have to go to Merlin's place and get something from there. I'll catch you later." He walked passed her, heading out the ally.

But Yuffie shouted from afar, "Sora! There's a meeting being held in the third district later, meet me there, okay?"

Sora nodded in agreement and ran out the ally.

Having new knowledge about Yuffie, Sora became a bit fearful of the fact that she has power in the town. He continued to run to the second district near the fountain where the girls stood talking. He jump off from the top of the fountain and landed where they stood. "Okay, we have a problem."

"We know!" said Yuna with a mean look on her face, "Who was that girl, Sora?" She said in a little hint of jealousy.

"That's Yuffie! I had no idea that she will be running this town." He concluded. "If Yuffie finds me with you three, she'll think that I've join the enemy!"

"Well then, what are we to do then?" Paine asked coolly.

"You'll to have to lay low till we get to Merlin's, but we have to move quick, because I have to go to the third district later for a meeting!"

"A meeting?" Rikku asked, "A meeting about what?"

"I don't know." Sora shrugged, "I'm guess it has to be about you three…" Though he never knew what things they _borrowed,_ there was no better time to ask. "...I'm curious, what stuff did you three _borrow_?"

"We borrow a few potions, food, brushes, shampoo and…" Rikku continued the list on and on.

Sora felt dark and heavy for some reason. Ignoring Rikku and a long list of things they '_borrowed_', he look around the area. On the Gizmo shop's stained glass he saw a black shadow move about.

"…Are you listening?" Rikku shouted.

"There's a heartless around here!" He said quietly; as he walked pass them, calling forth the kingdom key. "I thought it was over!"

The four stood in there stances and taking there ground, alert to anything unexpected. More shadows moved about around the floor and the walls. They soon appeared out from the ground and the walls. The Neo shadows form in small groups of twenties and thirties. Sora and the girls back up toward the fountain.

"There's a lot of them!" Yuna shouted. Seeing that there were so many that it was innumerable.

Sora charged at the group, making the first move. Then the battle started. Sora on each swing made contact with the heartless and on each swing one after another vanished in black mist. Slashing in all directions, swift and cunning, Sora was able to wipe out the majority of the group with no help. He threw his blade like a boomerang, sweeping through heartless in a large circle until it returned to him.

Yuna casted blizzard hitting all the heartless as the ice spread into pieces landing on even more heartless.

Rikku casted the thunder spell electrifying each heartless into ashes of black mists while, Paine let out fire and the surrounding heartless that were around her were disappearing in ashes as well. Paine held on longer to the spell and released, enormous flames surrounded the party, like a firewall.

The battle went on for only a few moments, each heartless disappeared from there sights and defeated.

Sora was relieved and a smile appeared on his face. From this fight and watching them three he knew that this journey was going to be the same as the other he experienced with Donald and Goofy. "You girls were awesome!" He complimented. "I forgot how fun it was to fight along side friends, and you three did great!"

Though they were trying to breathe from there battle, all of them smiled in joy. "Y'know you weren't that bad yourself Sora!" Rikku smiled.

All of them laughed, and then Sora continued. "Alright we should continue to Merlin's as soon as possible!"

The three of them nodded and followed Sora.

From the top of the Gizmo shop, stood a tall figure in a black cloak over its face, holding a scepter with a green emerald crystal on top. "You fools think you can oppose me?" The voice said, "Sora! The battle isn't over, and it won't end like last time…I swear it!" It hissed clenching the scepter tighter.


	5. The To do List

**Chapter Five: A To-do list**

In the large cave, inside Merlin's old place, Sora and the girls scramble through his old things, trying to find any clue that would help them. Books and paper flew in the air and landed everywhere around the room. The room was dark and grey, without Merlin around there was no life in the room. Though when he left to the Radiant Garden, he had only left a few piles of old books he refused to take with him. The four search for clues continued.

"There's nothing here!" Sora shouted.

Yuna was reading through books that have recipes of how to make certain potions. It just so happen, that she passed by a page on how to help a small person grow. Maybe it might help. "Hey!!" Yuna shouted, "I think I've found something!"

Yuna handed the book over to Sora. As he read, everyone hovered over him and gazed through it. The ingredients to making this potion were not that simple, in fact, it involved them to have to travel to other worlds. The materials needed were written down:

_An extraordinary formula use for making the small grow into incredible sizes! Depending on quantity of the ingredient will determine the size that you want. Make sure that the quantity is pure, no substitutes! Remember! The little the amount will minimize its effect. _

_Mystery Crystal_

_Power Gem_

_Ravine shard_

_Twilight Goo_

_Bright Crystal_

_CAUTION: Too much of any one of these ingredients will cause abnormal effects, such as: sizable body lengths, iching, sneezing and headaches._

With surprise, Sora smiled."I think…there might be a different way!" Sora said.

"Different way?" Paine looked into the description, "It doesn't sound like its safe."

"Doesn't hurt to try right?" Rikku asked.

Paine shook her head, "I'm not going to try this until I'm definite that it won't enlarge any part of my body!"

"Are you kidding?!" Rikku argued, "I wish a some things on my body would grew at least a little bit bigger!"

Sora found that strange, "...Umm...Anyway, its up to you three. What do you say?"

"I say let's try it!" Rikku nodded.

"I vote no." Paine disagreed.

Sora turned to Yuna, "How 'bout it Yuna?"

She nodded, "It's not a bad idea. So I say yes!"

Rikku stuck her tongue out at Paine and smiled happily, "Haha! You lose Paine. Two votes to one!"

Paine crossed her arms, "Whatever!" She flew away.

"Alright, now all we have to do is to get the ingredients, right?"Rikku asked.

"Yup!" Yuna smiled, "Sora knows where the materials are, right Sora?"

Sora stood silent, with no eye contact. The girls glared at him in suspicion, wondering if he knew.

"Sora?" Yuna called.

He shrugged and shook his head, "I'm sorry…I don't remember where they are! I've collect so many things before, but never kept count."

Paine joined in the conversation, "Even if we found them, wouldn't we need someone to create a mixture for this potion? There is no one we know to make it."

"I think I could help…if you don't mind." An abrupt voice said from behind them.

Startled, Sora and the girls turned to see who it was. An old man wearing a large blue pointed hat with a long blue robe. It was Merlin who had entered the room, fixing his glasses and inspecting the mess in the room. "My, you three could really make such a mess." He pointed out. He squints his eyes to see Sora behind the three girls. "Sora...is that you?"

Sora smiled and waved happily, "Hey Merlin! Sorry about the mess, I was just helping some friends."

"Yes, I see. Always were that kind of boy aren't you, Sora?" Merlin spoke slowly like the old man he is, "If I didn't hear correctly, I would say that those fairies with you were the ones that's been stealing things from the shops…am I correct?"

He was ashamed to admit it, and the girls were more ashamed than he was, not to say embarrassed also. Rikku spoke up, "We weren't stealing!" She shouted, "…we _borrowed_ the items!"

Merlin chuckled, "Ah yes! There's a big difference in borrowing than stealing, now is there?" He laughed.

"What's so funny old man?!" Rikku yelled.

"Rikku!" Sora calmed her down, covering her small mouth, "Merlin we need someone to create a mixture for this potion." Sora opened the book to where the potion for growth showed, and handed over to Merlin.

"Hmm…" Merlin scanned through the book and analyzing the details from the materials needed for the mixture. "…Yes well, this potion is used more the dwarfs and moogles, though I'm not sure if it will work for fairies." He warned. "There may be side effects if the potion is used for the wrong reasons."

"We'll take that chance!" Yuna shouted out.

Everyone looked at her and stood appalled from her voice. Yuna was desperate. Desperate enough to go far lengths to get her body back. Even if the potion didn't work, it would be a miss if they didn't take the risk. But was it worth trying?

Then Merlin ripped out the page from the book. He shot a spark of magic from his finger at the paper. Next to each ingredient appeared the location to where it can be found. "Here you go, this should help." Merlin said, handing the paper back to Sora.

Sora grabbed the paper and gazed through it with the girls looking over his shoulder.

_Mystery Crystal - Wonderland_

_Power Gem - Beast's Castle_

_Ravine Shard - Olympus Coliseum_

_Twilight Goo - Twilight Town_

_Bright Crystal - Radiant Garden_

Now that they have the list it was time that they be on there way. Sora stuff the list in his jacket. "Thanks Merlin! We'll come back when we have all the things we need."

"No problem my boy!" Merlin smiled, "When you have all things, I should be back at my work place at the Radiant Garden, so meet me there and I'll make the mixture properly." He said wishing them a fare well, "...Ah yes, Sora take this!"

Sora walked back to Merlin. Merlin place a small bag in his hand. "This is to put your stuff into, so you won't lose it!"

Sora nodded and left along with the girls. The group walked out side, and stopped when Rikku spoke, "Alrighty then!" Rikku said excited. "So now that we have the list of ingredients and places to go from the geezer, we can leave now, right?"

As the three walked out of the building. Then the bell sounded all the way from the gizmoshop. The clock hit twelve...which came to Sora's mind that he was late for a meeting. His eyes shot open, "The meeting!!" Sora shouted,

"You're going have to meet me back at the ally. I'll be there after I finish!" He commanded.

"Can I go?" Rikku asked rhetorically, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!!" She begged with a cute face.

"No..." Sora said coldly, with no emotion whatsoever.

"Hmph!' Rikku pouted.

"I'll see you at the ally!" He concluded quickly and started running off, jumping from one stone to the other..

"Sora wait!" Yuna called out, but he was almost to the other side of the cave and he couldn't hear her. She sighed, feeling a bit depressed.


	6. District Street Fight

**Chapter Six: District Street Fight!**

Sora ran through the tunnel of the caves and pushed open the door with the symbol of the flame engraved on it. When he did, he was in a massively large crowd filled with town's people and guards of Traverse town all squeezed in the district. Sora was trying to get by the people, looking around for Yuffie…but no go. He continued to walk in the center of the district. He looked up near the _Lady and the Tramp_ fountain and saw a large pulpit with stair cases leading up to the top on each side. Yuffie was on top with the mayor of the town, about ready to give a speech.

Then the microphones made there static sound and everyone stood quiet. The mayor turned to the mic and began to speak, "Welcome everyone!" He greeted, "I have gathered you all here for a special reason, and most of you already know what this meeting is about. We have all heard about these mysterious thieves around town, stealing from the shops and we have assured you that they will be caught." He turned to Yuffie, "Miss Kisaragi is here with me. She has decided to take this manner into her own hands, and now she will come up and speak to us!"

The crowd roared and cheered loudly as Yuffie stepped up to the mic's putting on the cutest smile, "Hey everyone!" She greeted, as most guys whistled for her curves, "I promised you all that I will capture the thieves, but even though I haven't found them yet I heard from the citizens of the town that they have seen three fairies around the area!"

"Sure did!" The man shouted from the crowd. This was the man that spotted three fairies. "They were with a _boy_!"

"And what did this _boy_ look like?" Yuffie asked from up top.

The crowd turned there attention to the man, "Well…he was wearing black, had spiky hair…and was just as tall you were, Miss Kisaragi!" The man concluded.

Sora's heart started beating fast in nervousness. He was afraid that Yuffie would get a hint that the man was describing him, _"Oh no, please don't find out!" _Sora begged in his thoughts. Just to be safe, he flipped on his hood.

"Hmm…"Yuffie hummed, "Do you know where he is now?"

The man shook his head, "No, I haven't seen him since, Miss Kisaragi. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Yuffie said righteously, "As you can see here, we are getting closer to solving this case. So people of Traverse town I will assure you that I will find those thieves and then we will make them pay for everything they stole. That's a promise!" She concluded.

The crowd cheered loudly and praised Yuffie for the well done speech. Sora made his way through the crowd before anyone was to notice that it was him that was with the girls. When he reached the large door that lead back to the first district, he heard a scream from one of the town's people, "There they are!!!" A woman screamed.

Sora turned quickly toward the front and saw Yuna, Rikku, and Paine out in the open, near the entrance to Merlin's old place. _"Oh no!" _The crowd turned there attention to the girls, jeering at them, throwing at them old food and spoils.

One of the town's soldiers pulled out a red bag, and grabbed them quickly tying up the bag, catching them off guard.

"What the...!" Paine swore in surprise.

"What's going on?!" shouted Rikku."

"SORA!!!" Yuna shouted from within the bag, hoping that he would hear. But the crowd was overpowering there cries for help!

Sora started running back into the crowd in the process of his hood flew off, pushing through the people trying to reach the girls, but the soldier had the delivered the bag up the pulpit and handed it to Yuffie. It was too late to grab it.

With a smile, Yuffie held up the bag by the end to show the crowd. "Is this what you're looking for?" She asked. Then the crowd roared and cheered agreeing with her. "Then it's you're choice! What should we do with them?"

"Torch 'em!" One man said.

"Make them work for there entire lives!" said another women.

The girls were hearing this, and then fear was planted. They were afraid that the town's men and women were going to have there way. Yuna teared, _"Sora, where are you?"_ She thought in her head.

Sora flashed in red and soared out of the crowd, and onto the pulpit to where Yuffie and the Mayor were standing. Yuffie saw Sora glow in red, his outfit had changed appearance. "Yuffie, I'm going to need that bag!" Sora demanded,

"Sora?" Yuffie was confused. Was Sora against her? "Wha-a…what are you doing?"

"I'm saving my friends!" Sora shouted, "You wouldn't cruel to burn them, would you?"

Shocked, Yuffie couldn't believe that Sora had turned on her. Then she remember the description the man had told her...it was Sora! Though it took her a moment she was realizing the odds. Then she put on a serious face. "Were you the boy that was with these thieves?"

"There not thieves." Sora denied, "They're just desperate! To get something that's dear to them…please Yuffie, just let them go!" He said reaching out for the bag.

Yuffie pulled away, giving Sora a stern look. "I can't believe you Sora! You of all people…the Keyblade Master, are now turning on us and helping thieves?!" Yuffie said, loud enough to be heard through the mic.

The people gasped from what they heard, and whispered among themselves. Sora felt like the enemy. It stabbed him through the heart to see that people were going to hate him now for joining a couple of thieves. He knew that the girls weren't bad…at least not anymore.

"Sora if you want them back…" She handed the bag over to the soldier, "Then fight me!"

Yuffie cunning flipped from the pulpit and unto the ground like the swift ninja she is. The crowd backed away forming a large empty circle in the center of the district. Yuffie pulled out her shuriken and stood in her fighting stance.

Sora simply jumped in the empty area, as the crowd stood in awe at Sora's red appearance, "Yuffie, why are you doing this?! This is stupid!"

Yuffie ignored him, "Y'know Sora, I've never fought you in a street fight before…guess it's the first time for everything!"

Sora didn't understand why Yuffie was being so persistent. She'd never been like this before…why start now? He made contact with her eyes and glared at them, they were different. Her eyes glowed green in significance, if it were to be seen closer, her eyes were filled with green emerald colored mist and full of malice. Sora eyes widened, "Yuffie your eyes! What happened to your eyes? Did something happen?!" He shouted.

"Shut up Sora!" Yuffie yelled harshly, "Are we going to fight or not?!"

Sora shook his head, "I'm not gonna fight you Yuffie!" He shouted.

Then Yuffie's shuriken glowed bright, and enlarged in size, "Then I guess you lose Sora!"

The fight started. Yuffie threw the Shuriken and leaped in the air. Sora saw the incoming projectile and quickly called forth the kingdom key and held out to block. The shuriken hit the blade and cause impact, causing Sora to stumble backward. Yuffie came from behind and swept him off his feet and quickly catching her large shuriken and brought the blade's point to Sora's neck. Sora groaned a bit from hitting the floor. He noticed the the sharp point of the blade near his throat. The crowd cheered loudly for the action.

"Are you even trying Sora?" Yuffie intimidated, looking down at him. "Don't tell me that your excuse is that you can't hit girls!"

Sora shoved the shuriken away and quickly flipped back on his feet, putting space between the himself and Yuffie "Yuffie…my fight isn't with you!" He said calmly.

"Hmph…Whatever!"

Yuffie threw the shuriken again. Sora held the Kingdom key in one hand and Bond of Flame in the other, both had sparks of red electricity at the handles and stood ready in his Valor stance. When the shuriken came close, he swung the blades at blinding speed, dividing the large star blade in fourths! Yuffie eyes widened from the swing, and her destroyed weapon laying in pieces.

Sora twirled his blades back in his valor stance, smiling. "You can't fight, if you have no weapon!"

Yuffie smirked. She reached behind her back and pulled out a dozen of smaller shurikens in each hand, two between her each of her fingers. She threw the first set and the second.

Sora saw the incoming stars, each one homing toward his directions. The problem wasn't if he could deflect them all, but he was getting tired from the valor energy he was using. He thought quickly… The first set came at him, he struck them down in one motion, but as for the second set, he ran in valor speed heading toward. Each shuriken hit the ground right behind each step Sora took, but Yuffie continued to throw more.

Sora threw his keyblade toward her. She leaped over it and the blade soared through the crowd and into the wall. Sora leaped after Yuffie, rushing into her in such force that he rammed her into a wall with his arm against her throat. He clenched his fist and struck her in her gut. Yuffie's breathe escaped her and fell to her knees. Sora then jumped from the ground unto the pulpit. He swung one of his blades at the soldier who held the bag at blinding speed cutting the bag open. The soldier who held the bag, stood standing in fear.

The girls took the chance to fly out, "Sora!!!" The three of them shouted.

"Meet me back at the ally! I'll meet you there!" Sora commanded.

The girls nodded and flew up in the sky. Sora turned and one of the shurikens grazed passed his cheek. His head jerked back and winced in slight pain from the hit, light blood ousted out. He quickly retaliated, wiping the blood off his cheek.

"What are you doing just standing there?!" screamed Yuffie at the guards, "Get him!"

Gaining the courage, every soldier marched up the pulpit. Sora flashed back to his original black uniform, with the light throwing them into temporary blindness and jumps up top on the roofs of the building, evading the guards.

Yuffie swore under her breath, "Guard all the exits to each district, and don't let them leave here!" She commanded, as each soldiers ran back and forth through the crowd.

Sora ran continued to running on the building tops, hopping on different buildings when he reached the ally where the girls waited. He leaped off, landing next to them.

"Sora, are you okay?" Rikku asked.

Yuna flew near his face saw the scar on his cheek and gasp, "Sora, what happened?" Yuna placed her hand on the wound.

Sora smiled, "I'm fine Yuna." He assured them all, "Let's just get to Wonderland and quick!"

The girls nodded in agreement and circled around Sora, putting there hands out. Sora closed his eyes. Then flashed in a white light, leaving sparks behind.

Yuffie threw a shuriken from the top of the building, heading toward Sora…but she missed. She swore under her breath. She leaped down and as she went to grab her shuriken, the tall black figured appeared in a black violet mist, out from the wall. Yuffie signed in nervousness, knowing who it was and turned "I'm sorry mistress!" She apologized, "I couldn't capture those fairies."

The figure smashed the bottom tip of her scepter on the ground, and strong electricity sparked out. "You insubordinate!" She screamed, "I made you leader of this town, and in return all I asked is that you to do was to capture them…but you couldn't do that, you wretch!"

Yuffie screeched in fear, "P-Please mistress…g-give me one more chance, I promise I won't disappoint you!"

The Mistress stood quiet for a moment. Yuffie's heart beated rapidly from the silence, wondering what her answer who be, "…If you fail me…you won't be around to witness my ruling!"

Yuffie felt relieved, and took a deep breath, "Thank you Mistress." She said, "Long live Mistress Maleficent!"


	7. The Witches Playground

**Chapter Seven: The Witch's Playground**

It was the morning. Kairi walked along the shores of the island, near the old raft that was never finished. That raft brought back memories. She remembered when she teased Sora for being lazy.

"_Give me a break Kairi." Sora said,_

_Kairi chuckled, "Sora you lazy bum! I knew I find you snoozing down here."_

Kairi laughed at the old memory. I was devastating seeing that Sora wasn't around, and he was off on another adventure. That whole year not seeing Sora, and especially when she forgot about him…_"I won't forget you Sora! Not again!"_ She thought.

To her, Sora was very important. Why was he important? He smiled a lot; he was willing to go to the ends of the earth to go save the ones that meant a whole lot to him. Every time he was around, she would feel warm inside. He was always brave and encouraging others to keep going, even when everything around them were crumbling into darkness…a certain light would shine brightly, casting away the darkness. Sora shows others that anyone can go through their obstacles, even if it wasn't easy. When things get hard, that's when the victory is near. Maybe that's why Sora kept fighting…because he knew he was close to winning!

Kairi looked out into the endless blue ocean, feeling the winds blow by and the breeze of the water past her face. _"I know you'll be back, and I'll being waiting right here for you."_

**Meanwhile...**

At the rabbit hole, a white light sparked out of the midst of the room with the two-dimensional furniture. Sora and the girls had appeared at Wonderland! When Sora opened his eyes, he immediately fell down on all fours. He was tired from escaping Yuffie, while he was in Valor, and to top it off, warping made it worst!

"I can't believe Yuffie would turn on me like that!" Sora said.

Yuna was surprised. He'd had known Yuffie longer than he known them. She was surprised that he would still travel with them. "Sora…I'm sorry…" she said softly.

Sora got up slowly, "There's something wrong with her. What was it? Why were her eyes glowing?" He asked himself, ignoring Yuna.

"Glowing? ...Her eyes?" Rikku asked.

Sora stood silent, pondering. "…Anyway. Maybe we'll find out soon enough." He turned to Yuna, behind him, "Yuna, its okay. We'll get to the bottom of all of this."

Yuna lowered her head, showing no emotion. A lot came to her mind and she still felt guilty.

Rikku looked around the room. The rabbit hole had the same pattern floor with weird furniture flat in the floor and walls. The tunnel above them was extremely long you can barely see the light from the surface. "This place is…weird!" She pointed out.

"Tell me about it." Paine said coolly.

"You have no idea! This place gets me lost sometimes." Sora said, "Let's go!"

As Sora walked through the long corridor, the girls followed. Shortly, they arrived at the 'bizarre' room. Everything seemed the same to Sora, same fire place, same table, and even the same doorknob! "Yup, everything is the way I remember it!"

"At least this room looks normal." Rikku pointed out. "...Sort of..."

Sora found the table in the center of the room, he remembered the times he took the sips from the bottles as he shrank and grew…which gave him an idea! He walked over to the table and found one bottle on the table with a red label on it. The last time he remembered there were_ two_ bottles. He walked over to the small door and knelt down. "Hey!" He shouted, "Wake up!" He poked the knob.

The door was snoring as usual, when Sora poked it, he awoke, "Huh…Sora…is that you?" He asked, tiredly.

The girl's eyes widened, "IT TALKS?!!!" The three of them shouted in unison. They have never seen a doorknob that could talk.

"Arrgh…" The doorknob complained, "Why must you be so loud?"

Sora smiled, "How've you been!"

"Ohh…Sora I'm glad to (yawn) see you again...Y'know…there is a lot that happened when you were away…I've been hearing noises (yawn) from the forest…but I don't know what they are." He concluded, tiredly.

Sora showed him the bottled, "Do you know where the other bottle is?"

"Hmm…" He hummed, "I don't know…I fell asleep (yawn) I guess whoever it was, took it and entered the forest…"

"Okay thanks!" He thanked, "You can go back to sleep!"

The door yawned, "I hope you find out who it is…Good night Sora!" The door fell fast asleep.

Sora got up and turned to the girls. The bottle he held in his hand was small, "Check this out!" he smiled, and took a sip of the bottle.

Then suddenly, smoke appeared around him and he started to shrink in the vapor. The smoke vanished slowly. What just happened? The girls looked around for Sora, until they saw him waving from the ground. They were stunned in awe; as they flew down to meet him.

"What do you think?" Sora asked,

They landed on the ground comparing their height to his. He was just as tall as them, compared to the girls who stood heads and shoulders to him. Of course Sora couldn't fly, he wasn't a fairy. It was amazing seeing how there was another person their height and a good feeling.

Rikku stood shoulder to shoulder with Sora; he was a bit taller, "Wow! You're just as tall as us! What was that bottle you drank?"

Sora gave the bottle to Rikku. She examined it, and when she looked inside, it was empty. "There's no more!"

"That could mean that someone must use it before." Sora said,

"You said that there was a forest…where is it?" Paine asked.

Sora pointed to the opening, near the door. Designating to the same spot where he had to push a small bed into the wall. Now it was still there imprinted in the wall "We have to go through the Queen before we can go to the forest."

"A Queen?" Yuna asked.

Sora remembered the Queen of hearts. It was funny when she would blow a fuse...not funny when she and her card soldiers attack him. The last time he was here, he remembered he had to free Alice by proving who was the culprit that took the queens heart out of boxes. Even after proving who the culprit was the queen was persistent and charged, "The Queen is very quick tempered. If she doesn't get her way, than she_ will_ get ugly."

"Sounds mean!" Rikku spoke.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just focus on finding that Mystery Crystal. Follow me!"

Sora and the girls walked to the entrance of the garden, where the queen court was. What they saw was horrifying! The color of the grass wasn't green; in fact, there wasn't _any_ grass, just dirt. The bushes were tangled up in large spiny black vines. The court was destroyed by fire, burned down. The color of the sky was violet and clouds that covered it were pitch black. The moon was a bright red. It wasn't a garden, but a witches playground. It was a soresight, how the place had been ravaged.

"What happened?!" Sora shouted running into the center of the place. "Where's everyone?"

Yuna walked next to Sora, concerned, "What's wrong Sora?" She asked.

"This place wasn't like this the last time I was here. Who could do this?"

The girls first thought was that Maleficent did this. Who else could cast out black vines that would completely run the place? Paine walked toward the bushes and felt its spiny tips. Her finger touched the thorn of the vine and she bleed, then she realized who's it was. "It was Maleficent!" Paine pointed out, shaking the her hand, "The vines surrounding the bushes look similar to the ones in her castle."

"That's right!" Sora said. He remembered that black vines were her trademark. Her sorcery was powerful enough to cause the skies to change their color. The vines swerved wryly into the forest, crushing everything in it's path.

"We have to find that crystal quick." He called the girls, "Come on!" He shouted as he ran into the forest and they ran in along with him.

The forest was even worst. It was black, the trees were being choked by the vines, and the flowers fallen on the ground dead and lifeless. The atmosphere in the forest was heavy and foggy with the presence of evil in the air. Just being there made Sora and the girls feel sick.

"This is bad!" Sora said, picking up a dead rose, as it blew away into ashes. He couldn't remember the way out if the forest, now that it was covered up in black vines, it was impossible to tell which way to go.

"Where do we go?" Rikku asked,

Sora shook his head, "I don't know, Rikku…I don't remember which way is the exit."

This was going to be challenging for the four. It was dark, and the only light that leads the way was the moon, but it was covered up by the black clouds.

"How do we get through?" Paine asked, "I can barely see the vines on the sides of the road."

"Can one of you cast fire?" He asked.

Rikku casted fire…but it didn't work. She tired again…but it still wouldn't light. With her eyes widened and her jaw slightly dropped she trembled, "G-G-Guys?" She hesitated, "I-I can't cast m-magic here!" She said loudly,

All there eyes shot open and fear had planted itself in each of them, growing fast. The sound of the wind blew in the air. The sound of the tree leaves shaking, while the lifeless atmosphere filled the air. They're magic was being blocked from a something or maybe someone...but who?


	8. Through the Window of your Heart

**Chapter Eight: Through the Window to your Heart**

Sora and the girls wondered in the forest for over an hour, staying close together. It seemed forever just walking, and their feet were beginning to hurt. The clouds never cleared the skies; it remained there covering the moon's red light.

Yuna for the while stood staring at Sora, looking at his height. He wasn't a giant anymore; he was just their size, which made her feel like a human again. While walking, Paine was observing the area around her. The wonders of Maleficent's magic drew her attention, pondering if Sora would be a fight worth something, though looking at the damage here it seemed if she would win. Rikku on the other hand was scared! It was really dark to see anything; she cautiously walked and frequently looked around. To make the matter worse, thunder started to sound along with the lightening that came after!

"Sora…" Rikku said hesitantly,

"What is it Rik-" Rikku had pounced on his back, with her arms around his waist and squeezing tight, that Sora almost couldn't breathe, "Rikku, what's the matter?" He asked,

"I'm scared!" She whimpered, "It's gloomy, the thunder is too loud, and the lightening is coming down! I don't want to go any further!"

Sora turned to Yuna and Paine with a confuse look on his face.

"Rikku doesn't like the thunder and lightening." Yuna said, "The sound makes her terrified. The lightening brings back…shocking memories." Yuna winked.

Paine stood there and signed in disgust.

"Can we stay somewhere in one place?" She begged,

"WHAT?!!" Paine shouted, "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Rikku I hate being here too, but we can't stay here, it's dangerous!" He warned.

Rikku stood silent for a sec, "…At least till the thunder clears…please!" She begged, but this time sounding desperate, squeezing tighter to his waist.

Like Rikku, Sora didn't want to stay in the forest even for a second. The winds were getting harsher, the thunder grew louder and the lightening worsened. May be it was better to stay in one place for awhile. Not only for Rikku's sake, but for all of them. Then he thought about the heartless. _"What if one shows up! Will we be prepared?"_ He thought, but for over an hour there was none that showed. For the night he decided to stay awake to be prepared for that situation.

They picked a spot near the largest and widest tree in the forest, with the branches that stretched yards. The leaves were good enough shelter to protect them from the incoming lightening. The vines, however wrapped around the tree, but it didn't reach the ground, it was connected to the surrounding trees.

They settled down near the tree, and they were exhausted! As soon as Rikku sat down, she passed out, as did Yuna. Paine leaned her back up on the tree and eventually fell out cold. Once Sora saw that they were sleeping, he leaped to the tree branch, making his way up till he made the top. He sat at the highest branch on the tree and looked out over the entire forest. Ignoring the horrifying sight if the conquered forest, he watched out for any enemies coming near and also for the way out.

For the past half hour, Sora began to doze off, lying down on the branch. He tried his best to keep himself up but his eyelids where heavy and eventually…fell asleep.

"Sora…" A voice called,

Sora moaned, but stood asleep.

"Sora, wake up!" The voice called him louder, shoving him.

When Sora woke up, it was Yuna who sat on the branch next to him. He sat up and smiled, "Hey Yuna!" He said weakly, "Have I been sleeping for a long time?" He asked.

"No…just for ten minutes!" She said smiling,

Sora signed. He wanted more sleep. "…Well thanks for waking me up."

Yuna shrugged, "I didn't mean to…I'm sorry!" She apologized.

"Don't be," Sora laughed, "So…is something on your mind?"

Sora was near the base of the tree. The two sat next to each other; but shyly kept there distance by a few inches, with there legs hanging off the branch, watching the view of the forest from the height they were in. Then there was a question that appeared on Yuna's mind ever since they've entered into the forest, otherwise she wouldn't have bothered Sora. "It's about that girl…Yuffie." She said,

Sora thought that she was feeling bad about what had happened in Traverse town…or maybe it had to do with something personal "What about her?"

Yuna moved closer to him, "It's just I feel really awful that you had to fight her, because of us. I knew that you two were friends and I'm just shocked that you are still choose to be with us besides your friend! I don't understand..." She asked,

Sora thought about it. Then he looked at Yuna and gazed into her eyes for awhile. Yuna felt awkward with him staring. Rosy blushes appeared on her cheeks, "W-W-What are you staring at?" Yuna asked.

"Your eyes!" He answered, he reached to brush her hair to the side and over her ear.

Yuna felt chills running down her spine when he had felt his hand brush across her forehead. She had felt her heart dropped by each stroke he made. She kept her focused and reverted back to the subject, "My eyes?" Yuna didn't understand, "Why?"

Sora shrugged, "Looking into the eyes of someone could tell you a lot about them…kind of like looking through a window Y'know."

You figure that if you were a good liar you could very easily hide what's inside. Unforunately, that wasn't one of Yuna's strengths. When Sora looked straight into her eyes he saw her inner intentions...rather, her heart. Was it the one of the powers of the Keybearer? She thought it was pretty cool.

"You know what your eyes tells me?" He asked, pointing down at her heart.

She chuckled, "What's it say?" She asked interested, leaning closer to him.

"You're anxious." He chuckled,

It was obvious, but Yuna could have sworn that her heart skipped a beat. Sora was able to tell what she was feeling right at that moment. It wasn't a magic trick; at least she didn't think it was. It wasn't some skill you could learn…or was it?

Sora continued, "You're anxious to become a human, and you're desperate to do what it takes to get your body back." He placed his arm around her shoulder and brought her closer. "I understand how you feel."

"_Wow!"_Yuna froze. He said her feelings in detail! "How'd you know that?"

"By looking in your eyes." He smiled, "You see…When I looked into Yuffie eyes her eyes glowed green. Her heart was filled with darkness. All I could see was hate. I could tell she turned into some kind of sadist when she decided to burn you three. The darkness always has something good to bribe you with, even though it looks or feels good, it can hurt you."

The two sat together and for once Yuna felt human again. She held Sora's hand and pressed her hand against his. Both of their hands where out and pressed together with their fingers aligned with each other. Yuna smiled, there hands were about the same size. She was happy that she was able to see some one there size and Sora could see it also.

Sora glared at the joining of there hands, "You miss being normal?"

Yuna simply nodded, "I do...very much." She said softly.

Then everything became clear to Yuna. It was because Sora saw the heart. From the motives of the heart, he was able decide who to join. It was flattering knowing that Sora saw the goodness in her heart, "That's why you're here?" She asked, "You could tell that I was desperate, and you decided to help us?" Turning the conversation back to the point.

Sora simply nodded. "Weren't you the one that told me that my heart was a torch?" He laughed. "Kinda weird that you said like that, don't you think?"

"Hey!" Yuna shoved him, playfully yet relieved. "Thanks Sora! I feel better now!" She leaned to the side and kissed him on the cheek. "I see you when you wake up." She flew from the branch and went back down where the other two girls were.

Sora rubbed the spot where Yuna kissed him and simply smiled. The soft sensation traveled down his spine. He then lied back down, and fell asleep.

Yuna made her way down. Smiling all the way and thinking about what she had just did. She was proud of too. When she landed, Rikku was there laying down smiling at Yuna. Yuna stood staring...

"...What?"

Rikku laughed, "Haha, you tell me! I wanna hear it!"

Yuna blushed, "Well..." Then she smiled, "...Did you see us?"

As a matter of fact she did, "I didn't know you would feel that way Yunie. Do you like him?"

"Well.."

"Shut up and go to sleep!" Paine shouted. "No time for girl chats. Get focused!"

"Ew! Don't act like you not a girl yourself Paine!" Rikku argued.

"She's right." Yuna agreed, "We could talk some more later, Rikku. Let's get some sleep."

"Easy for you to say!" Rikku stood up and dusted herself off, "The thunder is keeping me up. I'mma try built up some guts and walk around for a bit!"

"Remember we can't use magic," Paine warned, "If you happened to get struck by lightning, we can't put out your flames." Paine softly snickered.

"DON'T SAY THAT! UGH!!" Rikku stormed away.

She didn't travel far. She went as far as a few steps away to be in sight of the other two. It was dark and still spooky with a few crickets sounding to make it sound more like night time. It was a bit comforting to hear those sounds, but then the thought of crickets sounding in a area in which has been taken over by Maleficent suddenly changed her opinion. They might be huge monsters...

"Ahh!" Rikku slipped and fell on her back. "Oww! Stupid rock!"

She rubbed her head and sat up to find that what she slipped on was not a rock but rather a fairly large bottle...

"What's this?" She questioned.

The bottle reads 'BIG'. When she looked inside it, it was a small amount for only one person to drink out of. Then she came up with an idea!


	9. Fearless

**Chapter Nine: Fearless**

Sora woke up seeing the same black clouds, but saw that the lightening had clear and there was no sound of thunder to be heard. He got up from the branch and jumped off from the top of the large tree and landed on the ground safely. He looked at the girls sleeping on the ground. He walked over to the closest near him, which happen to be Rikku. He knelt shaking her side.

"Rikku wake up! There no more thunder_ or_ lightening." He assured her.

Rikku stood there, as if she was lifeless.

Sora got a bit frustrated, "Rikku…get up!" He said turning over, lying on her back.

When she turned, Sora felt something dripping from her stomach. He looked at his hand and saw red. He gasped and his shot he saw caused him to gasp. There was a gash in Rikku's stomach! It was really deep, but it wasn't wide, it seems much like a small blade pierced through her.

Sora quickly sat her up supporting her back. "Rikku are you still alive?!" He shouted, though it was a rhetorical question, there was a possible chance that she still was. "Rikku wake up!" He shouted, but only response was silence, "Come Rikku stay with me!" He felt no warmth from her body, and her face was pale. He looked at Paine who was right next to Rikku.

He placed Rikku down gently and ran to Paine who sat at the tree sleeping…hoping that she was sleeping. "Paine, please tell me you're just sleeping…"He said placing his hand on her shoulder, but before he even touched her, she fell to the side.

"_This can't be happening!" _He shouted in his thoughts

He quickly sat her up and observed her, looking for any wounds. He found nothing…so what had happened? Sora placed his fingers on her neck, checking for pulses, but there was no pulse. It was if she had the life force taken from her, but none of it made sense. Sora teared, burying himself in Paine lifeless body.

"I've should have stayed awake…AARGH!" She screamed, with his fist pounding against the ground hard. He tried to cast cure several times, but he couldn't. Each time he attempted to cast again, more tears fell from his eyes. It was no use, it wasn't working.

He looked around for Yuna. She was nowhere in his sight. He placed Paine down gently and ran into the forest the forest to look for Yuna, running through thorn bushes, as they made their sound. _"This can't be happening, this can't be happening, this can't be happening!" _He said repeatedly and rapidly through his mind.

He continued running and after awhile he finally found Yuna. She had a large chain tide around her waist, hanging off a tree. Behind that tree was a white door. Sora couldn't believe what he was seeing this. He quickly called his Keyblade and launches it at the chain. As the Blade collided, the chain snapped and Yuna fell. Sora leaped across and caught Yuna behind her legs and her back, before she hit the ground.

He placed her down slowly and gently, "Yuna…Yuna!" He shouted, shaking her lightly. There was no answer, she was stationary and cannot move. Sora held Yuna lifeless body, regretting sleeping, when he should have been watching over them.

"RAAAAAAAAAH!" Sora screamed from the top of his lungs. Echo's could be heard all throughout the forest.

Then suddenly, in a blink of an eye, everything shattered like glass, the trees, the bushes…even Yuna! Then Sora began to fall down into deep darkness as if was an endless pit. Until finally he hit something hard and was left unconscious…

**Meanwhile...**

"It seems that you have managed to threaten the Keybearer in a dream…but please, tell me how was this done?" Maleficent asked.

At the Maleficent's Castle, in a large dark hall, with the light from her scepter's crystal lighted the room. Maleficent sat down on something that seemed to be a throne. There was a tall man that knelt down on one knee, with his fist on his chest, giving reverence. He was a knight suited with thick black heavy padded armor. He wore a dark violet cape with the symbol of a nobody crafted at the center. He face wasn't showed, since his helmet covered it whole. It was very obvious to see he was extremely built, even through his armor.

"My Mistress, being a nobody has it advantages…I just simply planted an illusion into his mind." The man answered, in a deep voice that echoed in the surroundings.

Maleficent smiled maliciously, she loved the idea of messing up the mind of another person. "I would assume that it wouldn't have killed him." She questioned.

The knight shook his head, "My apologies my Mistress. Though, it left a seed of fear deep within his mind." He said, "When fear enters into one's mind, it makes them weak and unable. He's just a boy, he shouldn't that difficult to scare."

"So when I send you to fight him…It would take only moments, seeing that he being too afraid to attack, correct?"

"That's correct." He agreed.

"That's impossible!" She shouted, "His heart is a fortress that can't be broken down, even fear can't enter into in!"

"You're right my Mistress, " He agreed, "But I'm not putting fear in his heart, but rather showing him the fear…in a dream."

Then Maleficent understood and loved the idea, "Then be gone." Summoning him away, "I want his heart in my hands, but more importantly I want those three fairies back here again!"

He stood up and bowed, "Your wish be granted…Mistress Maleficent!"

He got up and walked away. When he exited the throne room and closed the immense doors closed. While he walked along the hallway he heard someone around him, "Your black magic cannot not hide you from me, come out!" He demanded.

A phantom appeared out from the wall, "Y'know…for a blind Knight you could see clearly even in this dark place. That's gets annoying!"

"Out of the three of us, I would say that you'd be more irksome than us." The knight replied. "Considering that contain minds of many!"

"We wonder if your theory turns out to be true. Fear is a strong asset, but only if you have the guts to follow through with your plan and have the strength to take down any obstacle!"

The Knight laughed, "And what obstacle would that be? The boy?"

"The obstacle would be the boy's heart." The phantom answered, "We both heard the stories that this child had been through. We even decided to help one of his greatest enemies, who we both know hasn't a clue to how to overwelm him. If you can't destory him from the inside what makes you think you could destroy him at all?!"

"You are full of it, Ghost!" The Knight continued walking on. "It doesn't take much, just wait and see!"

**Meanwhile...**

Sora woke up. He ended up on the ground where the girls were sleeping. He stood up slowly but wobbled, and looked around the area.

"Sora, are you okay?"

Sora turned to the voice and saw Rikku who stood behind him, alive and well. "Rikku!" He said sounding alert, "W-Wha-a happened?" He asked hesitantly.

Rikku stood there a bit confused, "Umm…I don't know, but you hit your head pretty hard." She placed her hands on her hips, in a spunky way, "Don't sleep in trees again, okay? It's not good for your head." She tapped him on his head.

Sora held his head in pain. He looked straight up, seeing the large tree he was sleeping on. _"I...fell off?" _He asked himself. Then remembered the dream he had. "Rikku, are you hurt?" He asked out of nowhere, looking down at the area where the wound was. "Did you get stabbed?" He began poking the spot where she was stab in his dream, non-stop poking to make sure she was real and alive.

Rikku started laughing as she tried to push his hand away, "S-Sora (chuckles) stop it, you're tickling me!" She demanded in her laughter.

Then he stopped. Seeing how she was laughing and no mark on her stomach, he smiled and hugged her quickly sighing in relief, "You're okay…that's good,"

She pulled away and looked him in the eyes, "Sora you're acting strange…did you have a bad dream?" She asked him curiously.

"Yeah…I guess I did!" He laughed, and then he noticed that Yuna and Paine weren't around, "Where's Yuna and Paine?"

"They went ahead to see if there was a way out," Rikku said, "They told me to stay with you till you woke up."

Another question cam to Sora's mind, "How long have they been out?"

"For two hours!" Rikku answered, "They've been out for a long time and I'm worried."

Sora eyes widened, "Then let's go find them!" He said running in the forest.

"Wait up Sora!" Rikku said running in after him.

The two ran around the forest. Sora followed the path he took in his dream, which lead him to the same tree that he saw Yuna hanging from. There was no one in sight from what he could see. Then he ran over to the tree and saw the same door he had in his dream. It was creepy, but he thought that maybe Yuna and Paine went in.

"Sora, couldn't you have slowed down?!" Rikku shouted jumping over a bush, panting for air.

"Rikku, look over here…" Sora waved.

Rikku walked beside him, "What is it?" She asked softly. Sora pointed over to the door. She saw the door, "That's looks like the door in that weird room."

"Exactly!" He walked over, to the door, with Rikku behind him. "This is going to be weirder than you think it is Rikku, so get ready."

Rikku just nodded. Then Sora opened the door and light shined out from it. The two walked in. Then there was abrupt darkness. Sora and Rikku stood somewhere in a very dark place. There was only pitch darkness. Sora could only see Rikku.

"Why is it so dark?" Rikku hesitated.

Sora hoped that he would end up in the 'bizarre' room that he once did before. "I don't understand…we're supposed to be on the ceiling of the room!"

"The ceiling?" Rikku questioned, "Whoa...I starting to feel kinda weird now!"

Sora just shrugged, trying to understand why its so dark. He remember being on the ceiling, just like he did with Donald and Goofy. They ended up in every side of the room, just by going through different doors in the forest. He could have sworn that the door he took was the one that lead him to the ceiling. What was going on? Then he thought of something… _"Weren't there candles that could be lit?"_

"Ohhh!" Rikku complained. "I hate being in the dark and I'm getting a headache…Sora lets get out of here!" She asked.

"I'll light the candles in the room. Just give me some time to find them." Sora said feeling his way around the room. "We could see things better once we light them. Then we could find Yuna and Paine."

"In that case, I'll help!" Rikku said as she flew about.

The search was on. Rikku flew high up, while Sora worked on the ground. It was hard trying to find something in the dark without any light. Then Sora hit his face on something hard _"Oww!"_Sora felt around it, which seemed to be large and thin. "_I think this is the desk to the candle."_Then jumped up and felt a ledge and quickly held on to it. He flipped on the surface and walked slowly, putting his hands out. He took a few steps further and hit an object that seemed to be glass. As soon as Sora realized that, a small grin appeared on his face, "Rikku I think I found it!"

"AAAAAAAH!" Rikku screeched from a distance, which echoed throughout the room.

Sora heard her cry, "Rikku!" He shouted, "What happened?!"

Then there was distant laughter coming from Sora's surroundings. "Who's there?!" Sora shouted.

The laughter just continued.

"Whoever you are, if you hurt Rikku, you better pray I show mercy!" He warned.

The laughter intensified, and Sora was getting upset, "What could a boy do to me?" The voice echoed through the room. "So, boy…are you afraid of the darkness?"

"Where are the girls?!" He scolded,

"Girls?" He asked, "What girls?"

"You know what I'm talking about…where are they?" He shouted.

"Ah yes…you mean the fairies. " He snickered, "There coming with me to go see the Mistress!"

"_Mistress?"_Sora didn't know anyone by Mistress. "Who is the Mistress?"

"Mistress Maleficent." He answered, "She has longed to them again, and misses them dearly."

Sora held up his Keyblade, "They're not going anywhere with you!" He shouted.

Sora jumped from the desk up into the darkness of the room, using his keen hearing to find the man. Yet, it was hopeless to attempt. Sora soared throughout the room, rebounding and jumping off the walls, listening for the voice. The voice was heard all over and not just in one spot, while Sora was perplexed to determine where it was coming from. Then he heard the cries of the girls calling his name.

"Sora!" Rikku shouted,

Sora alerted his attention to Rikku, "Rikku?" Then Sora felt a blade hit across his back with force and impact. Sora fell back down to the desk he was on moments before; he landed safely on his feet. Sora felt helpless, he couldn't fight if he couldn't see anything, though he was aware of the surroundings in the room. (He heard the door snoring.) He had his back against the glass candle. He quickly lit the candle and only half of the room was lit, but it was still dark.

"What are you doing?" The voice asked,

Sora ignored him and jumps onto the next desk with the other candle and lit it also. Then the room was now lit, but Sora noticed that the room changed. The room was white and black, the color of the nobodies that resided in the room. It reminded him of the place he fought Xemnas in his last fight.

"The room is lit…I'll give you one more chance…Let them go!" He shouted out loud as he looked around for him.

Laughter appeared from the entire room as before. Then the Black Armored Knight walked along the floor. The footsteps that were made by the knight were loud, leaving an imprint on the ground with each step. Sora was on the ceiling. He looked up and saw the knight was standing on the bottom right-side up on the main floor, with his arms crossed over his chest. Sora leaped from the ceiling to the ground.

When Sora reached mid-way through the center of the room, gravity changed as if he entered into a different zone. He landed head first on the ground across from the Knight who stood across from him near the table. Sora, who was flat on his back, groaned in pain.

"What's wrong?" The Knight mocked, "The gravity too much for you?"

Sora got up slowly, holding his head, "What did you do?" He asked.

"I changed the atmosphere in this place to suit my needs," He answered, "Though, since this place is unusual, the force here has been divided into six places.

The room had six different zones from what the Knight had explained. Each wall of the room had a different zone of gravity, including the ceiling and the floor. Sora realized on how the battled field was being played. He quickly drew his Keyblade and stood in his stance. "Thanks for the lesson, but now let's get this done!"

Sora charged at the Knight. The Knight drew his sword, which was long in length and wide enough to smash through hardest orichalcum. Sora stopped in his tracks, skidding on the floor, eyeing in nervousness at the massively large blade. The Knight took the chance to raise his blade and swung horizontally. Sora jumped out of the way of the blade. When the blade hit solid ground, it caused a crater to appear on the floor. The impact caused Sora to fly back; he retaliated by flipping back on his feet.

"_That doesn't look good!" _Sora told himself.

"How did that feel?" The Black Knight mocked.

The Knight ran at him and dragged his blade along the ground, streaking the ground and carving a immese line into it. He swung his fiercely, Sora, being too scared to move held his Keyblade up in defense.

"UGH!" The two blades collided. Force and energy piled upon Sora and sent him flying up!

The Knight jumped after Sora. Sora safetly landed on the ceiling, taking the chance to run. The Knight landed after, smashing the ground he stood and dashed after Sora. When Sora looked up he saw that the wall went down, leading toward the couch at the bottom. He leaped unto the wall and ran toward the couch.

The Knight launched his blade at him. The blade sunk deep into the ground, in front of Sora path. Sora stopped and turned around, getting grabbed by the neck and thrown across the room.

The knight laughed, "Why persist?! Do you know who you are facing?!" He grabbed his sword from the ground and soared after him.

Sora's face landed on the ground near the table. He struggled to get up but pushed himself to get up quickly.

The Knight landed a distance from him, "I held the powers of Chaos withen my hand! I had the power to destory worlds, the power to travel through time! I command fear, like I command an army!"

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked,

"You will see..."

Sora ran at him, holding the Keyblade at his side. He swung as did the Knight, and the blades collided, then there was a crater planted under them from the collision. Sora held the weight of the Knights sword, with his back being under pressure putting Sora in a spot where he had to push back with all his might. He threw back his blade and stepped back, panting uncontrollably. He gave it his all, trying to throw the blade back, draining energy.

The Knight was shocked, "I can't believe you endured my attack..." He complemented.

Sora couldn't talk; he held his chest and began coughing. He fell down on one knee, using the Keyblade to lean on.

"Look at you!" The Knight pointed out, "You're tired, and you still become restless? Even with that dream you still fight-" He asked.

"_The dream…YOU?!"_Sora thought, as he stood up, "You gave me that dream?!...but how?"

"It's fear! And with it, I have the advantage!" He answered, "I gave you an illusion to show you fear…if you became fearful then the fear could have entered your heart and destroy you…but it seems you become dauntless. You have a very strong heart and I will admit I can't tear it down, but that doesn't mean that you can't physically hold out!" He intimidated.

"Really?" Sora taunted. "Think again! I'm close to winning this fight than what you could see!"

The Knight chuckled, "I can't _see_ boy…I'm blind!"

Sora eyes widened, not knowing that the Knight was blind. What shocked him more was that the Knight was fought him and caught Sora off guard and hit him hard.

"Shocking to know that you were fighting with a blind man?" He asked. "I don't need to see to fight."

Then Sora was speculating, "So…if I move at a certain speed…you won't be able to hit me!"

The Knight stood perplexed, "…What?"

"LIGHT!" Sora shouted and he threw his arms out. Then Sora's black clothes changed to the color yellow and he suddenly disappeared from plain sight.

The Knight heard nothing in the room, nor felt no presence of light. Sora warped behind him, pulling out the Kingdom Key along with the Hero's Crest on the other hand. He struck the knight in the back and vanished again. The Knight stumbled forward, but quickly returned from the injury and swung behind him, striking nothing but the floor.

"How is he doing that?" The knight asked himself, "Show yourself boy, and fight like a man!"

Sora laughed mordantly. "Sorry, but I'm only fifteen!" He voice was heard in an echo throughout the room.

"Arrgh!" The Knight was confused. He heard Sora's voice everywhere that it was hard to tell where it came from. "What are you doing?"

"You can't see me, huh?" Sora asked sarcastically, "Since you use darkness to blind others…I'm using the light to blind you from seeing me!"

The Knight still didn't understand, "What are you talking about?!" He shouted, looking around for him

"I'm in light speed." Sora said. He then flashed around the Knight, hit and disappear and then reappear in another spot. This continued and the Knight fell down on his knees, Sora then flashed in front of the Knight and light speed swung continuously hitting the Knight on the chest in a combo. The Knight tried walking, but due to the many hits inflicted on him, he could barely stand.

Sora disappeared and appeared from above and struck both blades into the ground, electricity rushed from the ground toward the tall Knight, and zapped. The Knight was electrified and after a while of sparks, the Knight fell face forward hitting the ground hard, leaving a crater on the floor as large as his body. He was finished!

Out of a spark of lightening, Sora reappeared in the midst. He then reverted back to his original black outfit in a flash of light. "You lost…now tell me where the girls are." Sora demanded looking at the Knight's motionless body.

"Sora!" Sora turned around and just as he did, Yuna through her arms around him, and hugged him tightly.


	10. Legion

**Chapter Ten: Legion**

"So where were you three?" Sora asked sitting at the edge of the round table in the room. 

It was a half an hour since Sora had the dual with that massively tall Knight. Right after the fight, the room had returned back to it normal color. Everything to seem to be back in place, then Sora and the girls went back to the forest seeing it also went back to normal. The grass was evergreen the skies were blue and the clouds were white again. The vines in the bushes were as good as gone. Wonderland was back into its exotic beauty. Now Sora and the girls went back to the bizarre room and relaxing.

"We were trap in, like, this little cage!" Rikku blurted out, "I saw Yuna and Paine there too!" She said flying around, illustrating everything through body motions.

"We saw the whole fight!" Yuna said, entering the conversation. "We were trying to call you, but if was like we were not there, but in the same we're right there with you…if that makes any sense."

Sora shrugged, "Well…it doesn't matter now; we're all back, so let's leave as soon as we can." He said, as he stood up in place.

"Wait!" Paine stopped, "What about that crystal?"

"Oh, I forgot!" Sora said. He pulled out Merlin's bag, and reached for something inside. He pulled a crystal, "Here it is!" Sora said with a smile, showing them the crystal as it shined through the light and into the girl's eyes. The crystal was clear, but if light shined through it, many colors would be showed on the surfaces. It looked very mysterious.

"Is that it?" Yuna asked.

Sora simply nodded.

"But…" Paine froze, "Where did you find it?" She asked.

"The Knight dropped it after he vanished." Sora placed the crystal back in the bag.

"So what are we waiting for?" Rikku asked, "Let's go find that next ingredient!" She punched high in the air.

"WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!!!" A annoying voice was heard from the garden. It was the Queen of Hearts. "WHO BURNED DOWN MY COURT?!!"

"Who"s that?" Paine asked.

"That's the Queen." Sora said. "Let's leave quick before she know's we're here!" He demanded.

Then the girls formed around Sora who stood on the table. The reached out there hands upon Sora. He suddenly closed his eyes and warped out of Wonderland.

* * *

Kairi was by herself, sitting on the Paupu tree watching the sunset settle down into the sea. She remembered the time when she and Sora sat at the port, talking about how they would travel together on the raft and how much of a thrill it would be. She sat near the branch of the tree. She pulled off a paupu fruit, glaring at it. Then she remembered the carvings on the wall that she and Sora made, that looked like a paupu fruit. The picture in that cave resembles them sharing one together. With that in her thoughts, she missed Sora already. 

"Kairi!" Riku called from behind,

Kairi threw away the paupu fruit and looked back, and put on a fake smile, "Hey Riku!"

Riku walked around the tree and leaned his back against it, crossing his arms, "Is everything alright?"

Kairi simply shrugged. In her heart she knew that everything wasn't alright. She was worried about Sora and what would happen if he didn't return. What would 've it been like if Sora was never in their lives? Unlike Sora, Riku had a similar gift of judging the motives of the heart, not by looking through there eyes, but through actions.

"Y'know I haven't seen Sora around." Riku pointed out, "Are you sure that he's sick?"

"_I wish he were really!" _Kairi thought. After that day Sora gave the letter to her she had stood silent. After awhile, everyone started to wonder where he was. Kairi had told them that he had a really bad sickness.

"Yeah, I'm sure Riku."

"I'm getting worried." Riku got up from where he was, "I'll go visit him."

Kairi's eyes shot open. "No wait!" Kairi quickly jump off the branch and and ran in front of Riku, stopping him. "You can't…"

Riku looked puzzled, "Why can't I?"

Kairi tried to make up an excuse that would make sense. "Um…well…" She hesitated.

Riku caught the fact that she was lying. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave a stern look,

Kairi continued, "…Because it's very contagious!" She smiled, bluffing, "Yeah, if you got close to him you'll catch it too!" She glared in his eyes in hopes that he would buy it.

"…" Riku stood there looking down at the floor, thinking. Kairi stood there in suspense. "…Kairi?" He called. "…Sora isn't here…is he?"

The secret was out. Riku saw through her, crystal clear! Kairi's heart skipped a beat, "No he isn't." She answered.

Riku held her by her shoulders, staring right into her eyes, "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, with this voice that had a significance of calmness, yet cold.

Kairi looked away from him. She was ashamed that she lied, and embarrassed that Riku of all people would find out. There was no answer from her.

Then suddenly the skies turned to turn black. The sun disappeared and the clouds turned grey, and began to rain. Riku looked up at the sky and saw the changes. The moon shown in the sky, though it was the color of a blood red, with smog surrounding it, along with sea that turned red in a blink of an eye.

"What's happening?!" Kairi shouted nervously, looking around.

Riku didn't answer but instead acted quickly, even though he didn't understand what was happening. He grabbed Kairi's hand. "Let's go!" He commanded.

The two ran across the bridge. When they ran mid-way to through the shore side, a spirit-like person appeared in black mist. Riku and Kairi stopped running and skid in the sand.

"Just look at you two!" The phantom spoke,

The two looked at the mysteriously looking ghost. "Who are you?" Riku shouted harshly,

"We're what you call…Legion!" Legion answered,

Legion was a spirit. He was just a black cloak that one of the members of the organization wore, that floated in the air. The helms of the cloak was burned and ripped. He has no face…that couldn't be seen since the hood covered it whole, only his blazing red eyes that shined out its evil. His voice sounded as if there were other people speaking with him. _Is he dead?_ Was the question that ran through Riku and Kairi's mind. The name Legion meant many from within...

"What do you want?" Riku scolded.

"We…" Legion corrected, "…need you two to come with us, to see Mistress Maleficent!"

"Maleficent?!" Kairi shouted. The last time Kairi saw Maleficent was a year ago. She remembered how she had her heart taken away by her. She thought that Sora had finished her and done with. It was shocking to know that wasn't the case...she was still alive!

"Were you with the organization?" Riku asked, noticing that the robe looked similar to the organization,

"Maybe…" Legion said, "Though we are nobodies, but let's not get into anything personal. A friend of ours was killed in battle by someone that you know…the Keyblade Master."

"_Sora!!" _The two thought at the same time.

"Enough talk!" Legion screamed, "Come with us!"

"We aren't going anywhere!" Riku shouted.

"Well then I hope you could handle yourself." Legion pulled out two small scythes, the size of an axe, "Cause we show no mercy to those who don't cooperate!"

Riku pulled out his black blade, and charged. Legion came at him, and swung maliciously. Riku dodged and blocked as much as he could. Rikku jumped from the shore to the branch one of the trees near the tree house. Legion grinned and flew at the tree, in one slash cut the tree from bottom to top in half. The tree collapsed, Riku fell off and landed in the small waterfall near the secret caves. Riku quickly sprung up from the fall, and saw the scythe held out in front of his face.

"Riku!!" Kairi shouted, in concern.

Legion snickered, "We have the upper hand here…are you going to give up?" He asked.

Riku didn't answer. He hit the scythe away from his face and drove his blade through Legion's chest. They stood there, with no movement. Riku stood looking at his blade was shoved into Legion chest. Legion didn't move, he just laughed.

"That was a sly move!" He complimented, "But unfortunately, we can't die!"

Riku has his eyes widen. He stood looking at his sword. _"Why isn't he dead?"

* * *

_

Beast's Castle was a place that Sora had visited most recently. Out of the midst of the courtyard, in front of the entrance to the castle, there was a light that flashed brightly and out appeared Sora and the girls. Sora opened his eyes slowly and didn't fall this time. He notices that he was back to his original height, and the girls were tiny as before. Disappointed, yet relieved.

The girls noticed that they were small again and that was he was back to being giant. They wished so bad that they were to be human again. Knowing that they had one of the items they needed to grow, gave them the motivation to keep going. They were on step closer to becoming human again.

"Don't worry." Sora said, "Were almost there. Let's just keep going!" He then pointed to the castle behind them, showing it to the girls who gazed upon it.

"WOW!!" Rikku awed, star gazing at the castle. "The castle is huge!"

"It looks so beautiful!" Yuna commented.

"Whatever!" Paine said nonchalantly. "What do we have to find next?"

Sora pulled out the paper that was in his jacket, unfolding it, and looked through it. "We need to find a power gem!" He answered, "I think Beast _might_ have it...I'm not sure."

"Who's Beast?" Rikku asked,

Sora couldn't describe Beast. It wasn't hard to describe beast. It was the fact that, the girls would judge quickly without knowing him. So he thought it was better if they saw him, "I think it would be better if I show you who he is!"


	11. A New Life

**Chapter Eleven: A New Life**

Sora pushed open the large entrance doors, the doors slowly swung open. He and the girls entered in the immense blue hallway of Beast's castle. The place was the same as it was before which brought relief. The hall way was the same along with the pillars aligned across from each other and with wall lights the light up the room, though the stars that shined through the ceiling windows lit up the room like a solarium. The group walked in.

"I love this place." Rikku commented, "It has this feeling of rich romance y'know."

It was true. Though it had this weird presence of a mysteries phenomenon, it also had a feel of a romance. It was nothing that the girls had ever seen before. Yuna and Rikku flew around, looking at the different rooms and the pictures that hung on the walls. Paine stood behind near the entrance of the building. Throughout the time they had been together, Sora wondered why Paine was…herself.

"Are you having fun?" Sora asked her.

Paine didn't answer; instead she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, ignoring him rudely.

Sora had a notion that she doesn't like to talk much, "Do you talk much?"

Again she didn't answer. It was like talking to a mirror. Then Sora asked a question that she was sure to answer. "…How does it feel that were close to getting you back to normal?"

"It's fine." She said coldly.

He signed. That wasn't the answer he expected. Apparently she doesn't want to be bothered, "Just asking." He ended.

There was music being played. It was music of an orchestra, and it came from the ballroom. Yuna and Rikku halted in the air, giving an open ear to music. "What's that?" Rikku asked.

Sora walked straight along the carpet, heading up the stairs. He placed his ears on the doors of the ballroom. "…They're dancing!" Sora said quietly, pointing at the doors.

"Who's dancing?" Yuna asked.

"Belle and Beast." He answered, "There dancing?"

Who's Belle?" Yuna asked.

Who's Beast?" Rikku asked.

Sora pushed the door open _slowly_. The music had gotten louder. Sora peeks in as did the girls. The room was different from any other room in the castle. The extremely large chandeliers lighted the entire room bright, that the floors showed the reflection of the ceiling. At the center of the ballroom, were Belle and…not Beast! He wasn't the beast he was before, but had the face of human. Belle and this man were dancing the waltz and enjoying every moment of it. Sora was happy to see that everything was normal, and to see them again. The beautiful orchestra music continued to play and Belle twirled around in her yellow dress.

"Aww!" Rikku glared at the two, admiring their dancing, "They look so beautiful together." She pointed out, she grabbed Yuna's hand, "Hey Yunie, let's dance."

Yuna went along with it and the two played. They floated in the air and swung themselves left and right, though it wasn't too good. Sora smiled, and then laughed. And again he saw Paine separated, he wondered if there was a different side to her…

"Hey Paine." Sora called, "You wanna dance?" He asked playfully, putting out his hand in front of her.

Paine sternly looked at him coldly, showing a side of all seriousness and no humor, "…..No." She said plainly.

Sora dropped his hand and shrugged, "Just asking." He laughed.

"Why must you ask me, if you know what my answer will be?" Paine sounded if she was annoyed.

"You're just too quiet." He added, "It makes me kind of curious to know who your really are, since your don't speak a lot y'know."

"Well don't ask me anymore." She said harshly.

It was about time when the music was about to finish, the couple were ready to make there final steps…and pause! As Belle took her bow, she caught Sora at the corner of her eye. She looked at him, got up and smiled happily, "Sora!" She said passionately.

Sora ran over a greeted himself before the dancing duo, by bowing formally. Belle and the man bowed also. "So it seems you have come back to us again Sora, I'm glad." The man said.

Sora was happy to see Beast back to person he was before, "I'm glad to see you back to being human Beast!" He said back.

"Please...Call me Adam." He smiled

"Let's go have something to eat." Belle suggested, she noticed the two little people peeking over Sora's shoulders, "But before we do…Sora, could you introduce me to your little friends?"

Sora moved himself out of the view of Yuna and Rikku, who stood behind him, "These two are Yuna…"

"Hi!" Yuna waved. "Nice to meet you." She bowed before her, aloft in the air.

"It's nice to meet you Yuna." Belle greeted happily.

Sora continued, "…this is Rikku…" He pointed.

Rikku smiled cutely, "Hi ya, I-I-I mean, hello." She corrected,

Belle laughed, "Pleasure meeting you Rikku."

"Who's that there in the entrance?" The Adam asked,

Sora looked towards the back and saw Paine nonchalantly hovering over the ground, crossing her arms and closing her eyes coolly. "That's Paine." He said.

"Is she shy?" He asked.

"Not really," Yuna answered, "She usually quiet. That's just the way she is." Yuna concluded.

"Well then, lets us talk over dinner, shall we?" Belle said…

* * *

After a few moments of more talking, they sat down at a large dining table in the middle of the ballroom. It was set up quickly by the maid and servants, who were also turned back into humans. The reason the prince was turned into a Beast because he was selfishness and cruelty, by a witch. Then it was a rose that represented a short period of time when he would have to find someone to love, though it took a tender heart to change his entire world upside down. It didn't matter anymore; the tribulation was over and in was buried deep down in memories, it was never to be mentioned again. 

Sora sat at the deep end of the wide table with the girls hovering around him. Belle and Adam sat at the other end. "So are you enjoying the meal?" The prince asked.

In front of Sora, was plate full of rich meat, "This is great!" Sora mumbled, with a mouth full of meat.

Yuna and Rikku stuffed themselves with the pastries and delights that were shown on the table. Paine floated, ignoring everything and stood there quietly. There was a mass of food there enough for a feast. Plates stack a filled with gourmets and buns...it was too much!

"I can't believe you own all of this!" Rikku said shocked, "Being a prince has it benefits doesn't it?"

The prince laughed, "Yes, but even though I was rich I still had an emptiness in my heart." He placed his hand over Belle's, "That only the love of a women can fill." He smiled at her.

Belle blushed, "It certainly makes me very lucky to have you as a husband." She chuckled.

After a few more mintues of eating, Sora got up out of his seat, stretching out, "Well...i guess that's it!"

"OH, your not leaving are you?" Belle asked concern, "Why don't you stay here for the night?"

Sora eyes shoted open, as did the girls.

"I wouldn't mind." Adam suggested, "You must have come in from a long journey...its best that you should stay untill you could clear your minds, and it gives you time to plan ahead."

Yuna bowed happily, "I'm very thankful...but we don't want to become burdens."

"Seriously." Rikku added.

"Its no problem." The prince snapped his fingers, calling over the maids and servants, "Prepare a room for these three and make it comfortable."

Sora shrugged. He agreed with Yuna about then being burdens, but he wouldn't mind time to rest. He gave it thought, but Belle would have insisted, so apparenlty there wasn't a choice. "Okay then...I guess we'll stay."

* * *

Maleifcent stood watch, looking through the glass doors leading to the balcony. The maids and servants cleaned the table and put everything back where it was, not noticing the evil eye of the the Mistress, "This is interesting, the boy is spending the night at the castle. I see that this prince has returned to his normal way of living...though who said it was a happy ending?" She snickered. She held a emerald green rose that glowed bright, its stem was black with little thorns on each end, it looked similar to what Beast's rose was like. 


	12. Captured and Nailed

**Chapter Twelve: Captured and Nailed**

"Get in there!" Legion shouted,

"Ugh!" Riku grunted, being pushed down hard unto the floor.

At the Radiant Garden, inside Merlin's place, Riku was bounded from moving his arms by chains locked around his wrists. Riku bleed from his lip, hissing at the pains on his side. The fight before was a lost, as for the island…was completely overrun and under absolute authority. Riku was knocked unconscious, so he couldn't see the result.

"You are going to stay here for a while, until the Mistress finds something to do with you." He said, with a cruel and demanding tone.

Riku squirmed, trying to sit himself up, though he was under pain. He found his way toward Cid's computer and rested near the wall, glaring angrily at the Phantom, full of hate and a desire to destroy him. He blamed himself for his defeat, hoping that the adrenaline would rush into him, but his body was about nearly to collapse.

"I see through your eyes that you wish you want to kill us…just get over the fact you lost the battle!" Legion taunted.

"You deceased psycho!" Riku shouted, "Where's Kairi?"

Legion ignored him. Suddenly Riku chains were broken. He felt around his wrist, seeing the imprint left from the pressure. Legion just left the room, closing the door and locking it behind him.

Riku got up slowly, sliding his back up against wall as an aid to get up. He examined the empty room, after he gains back the strength in his body. It was wrecked. Books lay on the floors, either torn or torched. The computer near him was jammed and the monitor was cracked, included the controls that have a few buttons missing. There was barely any lighting in the room, though it was clear enough to see the furniture. The scent in the room was the smell of worn flames, as if the place was burned from the inside. Riku awed from the devastation of the room.

The there someone appeared in sparks of magic. He looked around the room and became shocked, "…Oh my! What happened?!" He cried,

Riku heard the voice from the other side of the room, "…Who's there?" He alarmed himself,

Merlin drew his attention from the room to the voice and walked toward the other side of the room, seeing Riku resting against the wall hurt and in pain, "Oh!" He gasped, "You must be Sora's friend…Riku is it?

Riku had no idea who he was and he wondered how he knew his name, "…You know me?" He asked, "How?"

"Sora had told me about his friends; though I had to determine which on of his friends were you…good guess huh?" Merlin laughed,

Riku stood with a serious attitude. The situation he was in, bothered him, "Do you know what's going on?"

Merlin then began to explain what the situation was, "Hmm…it seems that Maleficent has returned, but I don't yet know what her purpose here."

Maleficent showed Riku a side that gave him the choice to accept limitless power in the depths of darkness and hell, but at a price. Mindlessly accepting the darkness, he experienced the pain it took of having great power, not knowing that it was eating away at his thoughts, the elements and the foundation of everything that was good in his life. Now that he had a second chance, he would never give that up.

He began thinking hard for a solution. He stood on his own two feet and began taking small steps over to the center of the room, pulling up a chair to sit, taking a deep breath, "Do you anything about Sora, or where is he?" Riku asked,

"He's helping three fairies." Merlin answered,

"Fairies?" Riku asked,

"It a long story, though I'm not sure if you're interested in hearing it."

"Then tell me where's Sora?" Riku demanded

"Sora is on a journey to regaining lost bodies of three young girls…or fairies if you may." Merlin continued, "I meet Sora not to long ago at my old quarters near the third district of Traverse Town, I was searching for…"

"I don't want to hear about you." Riku interrupted rudely, "Just tell me about Sora."

Merlin signed, having patience. "…Very well. He needed a list of items for a mixture to make small creatures grow to human sizes, so I gave him the list of items and the location in where he needed to go to obtain them. From then on he left."

Riku thought for a second, "Do you know where he is?"

"I'm not sure. A lot has changed now Maleficent has returned." Merlin added, "She went to different worlds and claimed them her own, changing it dramatically and releasing heartless to rule it."

"Has she taken over all the worlds?" Riku asked,

"No…at least not yet."

Riku heard the door open from behind him, seeing Yuffie walk right through. He got up and stood ready, "Who are you?" He asked,

Yuffie said nothing, glaring at him sternly as though she were plotting.

Riku keep his distance from her as she entered in. He saw that Merlin had left, now he was left alone, "Answer me!" He shouted, "Who are you?!" He quickly calls forth his one-winged blade.

Yuffie shook her head, "Don't bother." She snapped her fingers.

Black vines broke out from the walls behind him. Each vine double wrapped around his wrist and his feet, and then dragged him and smashing his back against the brick wall. "Ugh!" He shouted. The thorns plunged into his skin, with blood running down his hands and on the wall. Riku winced and let out faint screams. His arms out, bleeding wrist nailed and his feet bound, immobilizing him to move.

Yuffie snickered, "It hurt doesn't?" She taunted,

Riku stood still to avoid anymore pain in his wrist, "Who are you?!!" He shouted, "What do you want?!!"

Yuffie pulled the chair he sat in, facing Riku and crossed her arms and legs, "Nothing..." She said innocently, "I'm just here to talk."

"JUST TO TALK!!!" Riku screamed, "Let me go!!!"

Yuffie simply smiled, "I need you to tell me about yourself."

Riku was confused was she meant by the question.

"How was it when you had the power of darkness at the palm of your hand?" She asked,

"Are you serious?" Riku asked sarcastically, "Darkness is an endless void, the power it holds is snare and a trap to show everyone what they can have at the price of their heart." He noticed her glare of malice, "...You have given up your heart for power haven't you?"

"Yup and I'm proud to say it!" Yuffie said gladly, "You're stupid to give up something like this!"

"And you're a fool to give up your heart!" Riku screamed back,

Yuffie grinned angrily, pulling out a small shuriken from inside her jacket and threw it at him. The star darted near the side of his face and it sunk halfway it the crackling wall. Riku wasn't intimidated, he kept still in silence even with the shuriken nailed in the wall. Riku smiled, "You can't scare me."

Yuffie took a breathe. She got up and walked to Riku, nearly nose and nose, "Why don't you turn back? To the Riku that I heard about."

There eyes met. Yuffie smiled, while Riku kept the same serious look. "That's why you have me here?"

Yuffie nodded,

"GET ME OUT HERE!!!" Riku screamed, struggling out of his bound state with rushing blood ousting out.

Yuffie laughed and found humor in his hurt, she pulled out shuriken out of the wall, "Riku..." She said softly, placing her hand on his cheek, "We're going to become best friends...you'll see."

Riku angrily turned his head, throwing off Yuffie's hand. Yuffie continued to laughed under her breathe as she left the room.


	13. The Destroyer and Wormwood

**Chapter Thirteen: The Destroyer and Wormwood**

It was midnight. The sky was filled with countless stars, shining brightly. The moon glowed, though it was distant then it was from the island. At the top floor of the castle, Sora and the girls were given a large room to spend the night, equipped with large bed, large red mat covering the whole room floor and a balcony with the view of the entire town.

Rikku repeatedly jumped on the bed, reaching higher and higher to the ceiling without flying. She laughed happily, enjoying the how soft and bouncy the bed is, "This is SO cool!" She said laughing, bouncing.

Paine stood silent for the time being, no words were said from her. She stood aloft in the air near the entrance of the doors of the room and did her usually thing, which was closing her eyes while crossing her arms and legs coolly paying no mind to anything around her. Sora watch from the balcony from where he stood, seeing how Paine wouldn't communicate. It still bothered him to see her like that and still wondered how it was like on the flipside of the coin, to a point he began to do something about it. He turned his eyes away from her and to the scene in the blue night sky.

"Is there something wrong Sora?" Yuna asked, sitting at the ledge of the balcony's railing.

Sora walked near Yuna and the two began looking up at the skies, and after a moment of gazing he spoke, "…How well do you know Paine?"

Yuna fixed her eyes on Sora, confused, "Long enough." Yuna answered, "Why?"

He thought about what he said to Paine before at the ballroom. He studied the response that she gave him when he asked her to dance. Seeing how she was so quiet and separated made him feel that she was obsolete, "Why is she…quiet?" He asked,

The question was odd for Yuna, "She always like that…did something happen between you two?"

Sora looked back and saw Paine still there. Maybe the question should be asked at another time, "No…never mind, I was just curious." Sora ended that conversation.

Yuna Simply shrugged. Sora suddenly pulled out the bag Merlin gave him from his jacket. He grabbed a small red gem from inside, showing it to Yuna.

She gazed at the jewel. The color of the gem gleamed into her eyes, finding satisfaction and felt an abrupt burst of joy. "Is that one of the items?" she asked anxiously,

Sora smiled and nodded, "Yup! While you guys were in the room, I went downstairs to grab a spare in the storage room." He smiled,

Yuna got excited and flew in front of the gem, "Were getting closer!" She said, squeaking in her tone. "Okay, now that we have the gem, let's leave!"

"Wait a minute!" Sora halted, placing the gem back in the bag and put the bag back in his jacket, "It's the middle of the night and we're all tired."

"I'm not!" Yuna shouted,

Sora sighs, "Well try telling that to Rikku…" He said, pointing in the room.

The two looked in the room, seeing small Rikku under the sheets of the large bed, sleeping blissfully. Rikku made adorable faint snores that couldn't be heard up close. Yuna growled.

"See!" Sora pointed out.

Yuna calmed and her excitement faded with it, "Sorry…I guess I was too overjoyed." It took it moment to realize it, but she was feeling tired, "I think I am tired now." Yuna chuckled,

"Go ahead and sleep…" He looked inside, seeing Rikku rolling in the bed, "…since Rikku took my bed already." He said,

Yuna let out and big yawn, throwing her arms out, "Sorry about that Sora, she must have been tired too."

Sora shrugged, "I'll sleep on the top of the castle then."

"Oh no you're not!" Yuna stopped him, "This is not like the tree back at the forest."

Sora laughed, "I'm kidding, just go to sleep." Sora lead Yuna back inside and as he did, he closed the doors of the balcony.

He was alone outside. He then walked back to the railing and continued to look up at the stars. From then on, he began daydreaming about what happened at the forest, in the tree with Yuna. Though she was a different person with a different personality, she reminded him of Kairi. It was strange; Yuna had a gentle and soothing voice as though it were reaching down to his heart, the feeling felt like a cold rush of wind brushed over him sending chills. Then he remembered the kiss that she gave him, hoping that it would have lasted. That kiss sent obvious messages but he paid no mind to it, he stood focused.

"_Yuna…what will happen when this is all over?" _He thought to himself, _"Maleficent is still out there and stronger than ever. These nobodies are appearing out of the nowhere and I don't know who they are." _He started to plan ahead, thinking of different ways of solving this.

He then saw a star shoot down from the sky. Sora smiled, seeing the star soaring across the sky. The star suddenly stopped moving and stood still. Sora smiled disappeared slowly. The star began moving again, not across the sky, but toward Sora. Sora looked puzzled, until he realized that the star grew bigger and bigger every moment. The star came closer into the earth, bursting into the atmosphere. What seemed like a star wasn't a star but something else.

Sora couldn't tell what it was. White light circled around him and sank into his clothes and it shined brightly. Sora leaped onto the railing, balancing, he then jumped from the railing into the sky. He soared into the sky, the rush of air blowing in his face, traveling faster than sound.

As the object got closer, Sora noticed it was cover with wings white was snow and what ever it was, it was enormous. The object stopped high in the sky, thousands of feet over the castle. Sora stood by it, aloft in the air. The wings opened up and stretched dozens of yards, blowing away at Sora's clothes and casting its shadow over the land. The scales of this creature were as white as it wings, the neck was long and shaped, along with its tail. Its arms and legs were very well built and it talons were as large, sharp, and curved as blades. Finally, its head had horns on the top corners. The snout was also well shaped and the eyes lit in clear ocean blue, sensing calmness and peace.

Sora didn't know weather he should be afraid or not. His height matched the size of its eye, the beast was enormous! Sora judged the appearance and saw that it was a peaceful creature, though he kept alert. The beast and Sora glared at each other for the moment, noticing that it wouldn't move. Sora awed at the creature and had not the words to describe its wonder.

"_Wow…what a beautiful dragon!" _Sora thought, assuming, _"It's really big…but…who is it?"_

"_I'm Apollyon…pleased to make your acquaintance Keyblade Master." _The beast greeted pleasantly, without moving it mouth.

Shocked and wide eyed, Sora held his head in, "You can hear my thoughts?!" Sora shouted,

The beast nodded slowing.

Sora couldn't believe it, he was talking to another being through thoughts, "This is amazing…but what are you?" He asked,

"_I'm a nobody!" _The enormous beast exclaimed,

Sora flew back and called forth in a white light the Kingdom Key and the Oathkeeper, the two blades floated at his sides about ready to attack, "What do you want?" Sora said sternly,

"_I'm not interested in fighting, though I am commanded here to do something."_

"Like what?!" Sora asked,

"_That I will keep to myself." _Apollyon said,

"You were sent by Maleficent, right?" Sora asked,

"_It is true; I am under the authority of Mistress Maleficent…" _Apollyon agreed, _"Though what I am about to do is not out of my own will."_

Sora lowered his guard, realizing the creature's condition, "What do you mean…you're being forced?" He asked,

Apollyon again nodded slowly, _"I am a cursed soul, my life now rest in the hands of the Mistress. She has something of value to me and though I swore and oath to her, I have not accepted her gift of power. I know the darkness she holds isn't pleasant."_

"Then why continue to follow her?" Sora asked, "Be yourself…come with me then."

"_I am pleased for your offer, though I wish it were that easy." _Apollyon said, showing a invisible smile,

"What is that she has, that's she can tell you what to do?" Sora asked,

"_From the land I came from there was this rose that glows green. This Rose holds the memory of my lost love…and my heart!" _Apollyon said sadly, _"The rose was once the color of my eyes. Now that Mistress Maleficent holds it, she was able to take away its essence, along with my soul and my body, turning me into what you call a ' Nobody'. With that, she tames me, and calls me Apollyon which means Destroyer."_

Sora felt pity on him, he was a slave to Maleficent, bound by a rose, "I understand now…I promise you I will set you free from Maleficent. Keep that in mind!" Sora said and simply smiled.

Apollyon awed at the bravery the Keyblade Master, and became very thankful, _"I hold you to your word young Keyblade Master, but now you must leave, for I must summon Wormwood."_

"What's…Wormwood?" Sora asked, confused,

"_Forgive me for what I am about to do…" _Apollyon's eyes bled, and began changing colors, _"I suggest you leave now!" _He shouted in Sora thoughts. Apollyon shot he head up and roared loudly, that the whole town heard his cry, echoing from across the land.

* * *

Yuna crawled near where Rikku was, sleeping on the bed. Yuna nudged her lightly, "…Rikku…Rikku! Wake up!"

Rikku slowly turned, moaning and groggy, "(Huff)…What is it Yunie?" She said nonchalantly,

"I need to talk to you." Yuna said,

Rikku pushed herself up, sliding back into the pillow, "What is it about?" She asked, cutely,

"Umm…it's about…Sora." Yuna answered boldly,

Rikku knew where this was going to go, but she held back, since she tired and couldn't act like her usual self, "You like him right?"

Yuna rosy blushes came up again, "…I don't know…I think so…I mean, I like talking to him a lot."

"Obviously!" Rikku said rudely,

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Yuna shouted angrily,

"Yunie shh! ...you're going to wake up everyone!" Rikku said softly, "I mean if you like him you should tell him."

Yuna sat and hugged her knees, keeping silent until, "I know I should tell him…but I'm nervous to say it and I don't think he'll like me back."

"Why is that?" Rikku asked, curiously,

"Look at us Rikku." Yuna pointed out, "…We're small and we can fly…were fairies."

"Hmm…forbidden love. What about after we get our bodies back?" Rikku asked,

"I guess I can do something…" Yuna had an idea right at that moment, but it had to be right after they had gotten her body back, then it could be like it was back at the forest. The thought itself made her only anxious to want to get her body back. "Y'know Rikku…I have an idea!"

Rikku took interest and gave an open ear, "What is it?" She said, excited.

"I can't tell you yet…but it going to be after this whole thing is over okay?"

"Aww…" Rikku complained, "I was hoping it would be sooner."

Yuna laughed, "What do you mean? I would feel better if I were Sora's height to tell him how much I really feel about him."

"I have something to help that." Rikku smiled, pulling out a small vile from inside her shirt, "I think this should work." She gave the vile to Yuna.

Yuna grabbed the vile and examined it, "…What is this?"

"Remember the Forest?" Rikku asked, "While Sora was sleeping up in the big tree, he had fell off because he had a bad dream."

"I remember." Yuna nodded in agreement, "The Knight had told Sora about a dream he gave him, about fear and all. What about it?"

"When Sora fell, something else dropped from the tree. It was a bottle that said 'big' on it and it looked exactly like the bottle Sora had to make him shrink. So I'm guessing that, that bottle is the exact opposite of the one Sora drank out of."

Yuna looked at the vile, "So this stuff will make me grow…but then why did you get more for all of us?" She asked,

Rikku shrugged, "The bottle only had a little bit inside, I would have tried it first…then I had a feeling that you wanted to use it." Rikku smiled happily.

"Thanks Rikku," Yuna said, embracing Rikku in a sister like hug.

"Don't mention it. I mean it's not like it makes any difference of we all drank some." Rikku said, quite unhappily, "We're still these fairies and won't change until Maleficent goes down, Y'know."

Yuna took it to thought about what Rikku just said. Was finding these materials for nothing? If they found all the materials need, will that change the fact that they will still be fairies after? She hoped that it would not be like that. "I never thought of it like that…"

"Where's Sora?" Rikku asked,

Suddenly Sora threw the door open, slamming it against the wall, making a loud noise, "We have to get out of here!" Sora shouted, the girls jumped from the sudden outburst. They saw Sora out of breathe and in a hurry, running through the room and out, screaming repeatedly, "Wake up! Wake up! Everyone leave the castle!" Everyone in the castle, maids and servants peeked out of their rooms and watched the crazed boy screaming.

Yuna and Rikku flew up quickly, following Sora out of the room. Sora ran across the west hall going into the main hall and toward the east hall. "Sora, what's going on?" Yuna asked, flying by him.

"Yeah, you're waking up everyone in the castle!" Rikku added,

Paine flew open the doors of the ballroom and caught them, "Something is coming down from the sky." She said sounding alert.

"It's Wormwood! It's going to hit the castle if we don't get everyone out of here!" Sora exclaimed,

"What's coming down…what's Wormwood?" Yuna asked,

"I don't have time to explain, but just trust me!" Sora concluded,

With that, the girls knew that the situation was heavy and dangerous. They flew of and scattered throughout the castle, telling others to leave. Yuna entered the east hall escorting the maids and servants there, while Paine went out side to the courtyard, to determine who has left.

Rikku entered the west hall and began doing her job there. "C'mon everyone lets leave the rooms, c'mon…" Rikku said indifferently, escorting every to the main hall.

One of the gentlemen came from their room and confronted Rikku, "This is absurd! It's the middle of the night, a young man is screaming, waking up everyone in the castle and for what reason?!"

"Unless you want to die, then I suggest that you do what I tell you." Rikku demanded,

The gentlemen stood his ground, "I refuse to listen to the likes of you." He said rudely,

Rikku got aggravated. She then snapped her fingers, her finger tips lit in flames. The man saw, his eyes widened in nervousness and fear, he shivered. Rikku flew in his face and grinned evilly with the shine of the flames entranced in her eyes, "Leave…now!" She said coldly,

"Y-Yes ma'am!" The man said, running down the hall passing through the others.

Rikku simply smiled, clutching here hand as the flames at the tips disappeared, "I got him." She said in victory.

Sora ran upstairs to the room where Beast and Belle were, knocking hard enough for them to hear, "Belle! Beas-uh, Adam! Wake up!" He shouted, and continued knocking,

Belle awoke and answered the door a little upset, "Sora what's wrong?"

"There' something big that's about to hit the castle!" Sora said in a hurry, "You two need to leave!"

Adam came from behind Belle a bit groggy, "What going on out there?" He asked,

Sora had no time to explain, he need everyone out fast. There were screams of the men and women sounding from the courtyard that could hear from inside. It were screams of terror and Sora knew that, his heart began to race. "Please, just leave!" Sora concluded as he ran into there room, and jumped out of there window, and ended up in the courtyard where he met Paine, escorting the waves of people out to the bridge.

"I not sure we have much time." Paine said concerned,

"I know, but as long as we get everyone out then it will be okay." Sora said,

"Can't we do anything to stop it?" She asked,

Sora looked up at the sky. Through the reflection of his eye, the object that fell from the sky made its way through the atmosphere and lit in flames. The stars had fallen from the sky and were heading down. It was a meteor shower rushing down in separate pieces of rock, but that wasn't the issue. Along with the small pieces of flaming rocks came a large white meteor known as Wormwood. The white meteor came down every second at its top speed, massive sparks of light flowed in and out of it. Sora felt his heart pumping rapidly out of his chest, fearing the worst.

He shook his head, "Magic won't work! Its using the same force that kept us from using it in the forest!"

Paine blood boiled in anger, "Damn!"

Yuna and Rikku came out of the building along with Belle and Beast, "Everyone is out of the building." Rikku said,

Adam though was a bit furious, "What is the purpose of this?!" He said angrily,

Yuna finally looked up at the sky and gasped. Everyone turned there attention to Yuna, then saw what was coming down from the sky. Everyone stood in awe of the white meteor. The meteor continued to rush down at an unstoppable rate. It passed through, making it way toward the castle. It was close enough that it took up three-tenths of sky then a moment of silence pass through the thoughts of the people. They stood silent, there facing lit up white from the shine of the meteor, with there eyes wide and filled with fear bounding them of there speech. The silence continues, until the large white rock made contact and finally…


	14. Mystery Unfolding

**Chapter Fourteen: Mystery Unfolding**

At the Radiant Garden, Kairi sat in the studies room where Ansem the Wise worked. The room didn't changed, the diagram of DTD was still written out across the wall with the picture Xehanort on the side and there was light at some parts of it. She wasn't there too long, as a matter of fact she was escorted by a Legion and a group of nobodies. She sat at the rear end of the desk, hugging her legs and burying her face into her arms with tears, wishing that she understood what was happening. She ran her hands across her bruises on her arms and legs which she have gotten from being pushed and shoved while she walked along the corridors to get to the study. She rubbed her right arm more often, since it was Legion firmly grabbed her with no care whatsoever, leaving a mark that irritated her.

_"What's going on?" _She thought, _"Why do they want me? Who are those Nobodies and what is Maleficent doing back here again?...and Sora..."_ Sora suddenly came in her mind, _"I wonder where he is and how he's doing...I hope he's alright!"_

She pulled out Sora's letter from inside her shirt and read over it, remembering how she caught Sora in her room. The embarrassment of seeing her the way she was then, made her pretty upset, but she just couldn't help see how Sora made faces to make her laugh. A little sense of courage warmed up inside of her. She placed back inside her shirt, near her heart.

She then stood up slowly and glanced around the room. Her eyes met at the large dark corridor, where it lead was something that she didn't know. She looked inside deeply and noticed that blue light sparked on and off which caught her attention. Looking behind her, seeing the diagram which showed DTD and a picture with a heart in the center. She saw the frame of the Xehanort. It took a moment for her to realized who she was staring at...

"...Is that...Xemnas?" She asked herself.

She tried to walk around the best she could, ignoring the bruises her arms and legs. She noticed the place was filled with many books and scattered papers. She picked up book and papers in her hands, and read through them. Pulling up the chair near the desk, she sat down to read them. Most of the papers were filled with notes and facts about the darkness and its essence, most of the things came as common sense to her till eventually it began to bore her. What sat in front of her was a book layed out on the desk and flipped open to a certain page, as if someone were reading though it before.

"Hmm..."

The top of the page was written out in large red ink 'URGENT' it said. Kairi took interest and scanned through it. The book was more of Ansem's reports, this page was different from the others. The words were difficult to read and very small, seems as though it was written with haste. At times when Kairi read the page she had to squint her eyes. After a few paragraphs, she was scared, and after she finish the page the fear grew. When she finish the entire section of the urgent message...

A heart dropping gasp was all that came from Kairi.

Her hands covered her mouth and she began to shake and shiver. Her heart beated rapidly in a fast pace from what she had read. "This can't be happening...no...this can't be true!" Kairi shouted, "I have to get out of here!"

She got up from her seat and ran toward the door. Twisting and turning on the handle and pulling as hard as she could to open the door, but it was locked. She hit the door frustrated and scared, escaping could not be possible. Then a voice cried out from the corridor...

"Hello? Is anyone there?" A somewhat electronic voice said,

Kairi turned to the voice, "Who's there?"

The voice didn't answer back, but she heard static coming from the next room. She gingerly took steps inside, making her way through. Her feet made sounds of glass, when she looked down it was a transparent floor. She saw what seemed like a factory,

_"In a study room?" _She thought to herself.

She continued and glared around, seeing a monitor and a huge red transporter (She doesn't know that). It was all to weird, but it didn't take her by surprise. The monitor started flashing on and off, which explains the lights she saw before. As she walked toward it, the voice appeared again,

"Hello?" It said,

Kairi looked into the monitor's screen. "Umm...who are you?" She answered back,

"So there _are_ still users out there." The system call back. "My name is Tron. What is your name?"

Kairi wasn't sure if it would be weird to be answering back to an object, "...My name is...Kairi." She said hesitantly.

"Hmm...Kairi..." Tron hummed, "I need to know where Sora is located. Do you know about his where abouts?"

Kairi was caught by surprise by hearing Sora's name. How did this computer know that name? "Sora?!...How do you know him?"

"I have known him for awhile." Tron answered back, "I owe him much for his help, I couldn't be anymore thankful for his help. But enough of that, I need to find him quickly!"

Kairi shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't know where he is...what happening here?"

Tron began to explain the situation they were going through, through the monitor. Kairi took interest. "You must be aware already that Maleficent is very much alive. I don't know what she is planning, but I can tell you that she is going to different worlds and taking over them. She has three soldiers at her right hand much stronger than she is, but maybe not for long."

Kairi thought about the nobody, Legion who escorted her to this room, "I came here with a man named Legion. Do you anything about him Tron?" Kairi asked,

"Let look into my data base." Tron said, as he began searching.

"..." Kairi waited patiently for Tron. Legion reminded her of Riku. She then became worried. _"Riku...I hope you're okay." _She thought to herself.

Not long, after a moment Tron returned, "I have information related to Legion. It seems if he isn't just _one _man, but more than 6,000 men in one body."

Kairi heart skipped a beat.

"Though he wears the cloak of one of the members of the organization, he isn't necessarily one of them. He use a cloak of of one of the fallen member Marluxia. He is, although, a nobody with his own purpose. He is just a so called a 'puppet' of Maleficent who had persuaded him to join her."

"But what is he really?" Kairi asked, "You said he is like 6,000...of what?"

"6,000 nobodies." Tron answered, "Probably you heard his tone of voice sound multiple, or maybe you heard him take in terms of 'we'. Nonetheless, he is very dangerous and is well fit to challenge Sora."

This all became new information to Kairi. "This is all wrong." Kairi muttered under her breath, "Tron, is there anyway he can be stopped?"

"Sorry...It may seem that he is indestructible, but he is only using the other nobodies he has inside him as a shield. One strike may not hurt him, but it doesn't mean that there's nothing happening." Tron concluded.

The monitor's screen caught a glitch, interrupting Tron's words. "Something is wrong with the monitor Tron." Kairi pointed out.

"Sorry...the system is...beginning to shut down...again." Tron said, trying to speak through the glitches. "I will soon...reboot it...stay near the computer...system." The monitor zipped and shut down.

"Tron...?" Kairi called out, "...Tron?" She repeated.

Tron was no longer around. Kairi felt alone again. Resting her back against the cold red transporter in back of her, she slid down to her knees and began thinking. What was she to do now? She felt like someone tugged her heart and felt breathless and cold. More questions erupted in her head, but all were left with no clues to answer them. She gave up and hoped that in time that this whole tribulation would come to an end soon.

Then suddenly, Kairi felt light wind blow by her hair and face but she did not feel it. Slowly it grew until then it caught her attention. She stood up and looked forward to see where the wind came from. Her eyes lead her to see a something white from a far across the factory. She walked away from the monitor and toward the glass railing to stare closely into the white object, watching it grow until she froze in awe and in shock.

The object was a white dragon. It flew with such speed and cunningness that Kairi took several steps back. The creature finally found it's way into the factory, it flapped it immense wings to land safely unto the empty platform. The creature stretched it long neck with its head held up high and its wings tucked under its belly. Kairi took one glare into the large beast...

"AAAH..." She screamed aloud, quickly covering her mouth.

The Dragon became alert, turning its head left and right to see where the scream came from. Kairi slowly took more steps back, trying to make way back into the study room. Dragon stopped looking, sensing a small person in his large presence. It looked straight forward with its eyes met with Kairi's, from then she stopped moving and stood still. It was a terrorizing silence for the moment. Kairi was still fearful, but it very slowly had calmed from seeing the beauty of the Dragon. She put down her hands carefully.

_"Who are you?"_ She heard in her mind, someone speaking to her.


	15. Havoc of the Titans

**Chapter Fifteen: Havoc of the Titans**

It was day break. The sun began rising slowly, the sky grew in orange and its light fell upon the pile of rubble on what used to be the castle of the royal Prince. Bell cried in the arms of her lover. Every one of the maids and servants of the castle were filled with pain and sorrow as they look upon their home, broken in large pieces of the castle and of the white meteor Wormwood.

Sora picked up a piece of the meteor fragment. Their was no evil in the stone as he held it, be merely the opposite as he gazed at it. Nothing out of the ordinary, except the stone still glowed through the night until now.

"So...thats the stone from the meteor?" Yuna asked sadly, a frown crept upon her face.

Sora shrugged but didn't respond. Distraught, Sora wished he had done something to prevent this from happening. This would have made the second time if Sora didn't stay on his feet, alert.

Paine had appeared from behind, "What should we do from here?" she asked,

Sora clutch on tightly to the stone, "What could we do?" he responded softly, "It seems that when we enter into a different world we end bringing trouble along with it." With all his might he set back and threw the stone into the air and then dropped into the water near the bridge. He took a deep breath and sat down on a large piece of the castle which use to be the ceiling of the ballroom. "Our next stop is the Olympus Coliseum, but who knows whats waits for us there."

Rikku then appeared in the convesation and comforting Belle and Beast who sat in the courtyard with a full face of tears, "Is everything ok?" She asked sadly,

Rikku sounded devastated, but then who wouldn't? The home of the royal prince was destroyed and now they must find another place to live or they may have to adjust to life in the streets. The spoils and riches of the prince were destroyed by the white meteor, Wormwood, nothing remains but only old memories of there old lifestyle. Nothing could have gotten any worse than feeling unsheltered and in deep despair.

A group of servants and maidens banned together in a small group and marched up to Sora and the girls, "This all happened becuase of you boy!!" one of the men in the crowd screamed.

Sora peered behind him to see the crowd formed behind. He rose up nonchalantly and turned around to look down his accusers from a certain height. The girls stood by him, Yuna and Rikku on one side and Paine on the other.

"What do you want?" Paine spoke out,

Sora eyes shot up at Paine in shock.

"We don't want you here!!" Screamed one of the maids, "That meteor appeared because of your presence here!!" Screamed another servant.

The feeling of rejection made its way into Sora's heart like the time in Traverse Town, feeling like an enemy. This became a heavy burden to carry, on top of that, he already feeling distraught was the feeling of not being wanted.

Paine snapped back, "Quiet! All of you! We excorted you to safety and your lives were kept, be grateful for that!"

There was silence, then "Ow!" Rikku winced. A small pebble was launched at her head and hit.

The rebellious crowd began picking up stones and threw them at Sora and the girls. One after another each stone was picked up and thrown, but Sora made no effort to move and instead took the hits. Yuna cast protect over them. The rocks hit the invisible shield with most of them shattering. None of the small stones touched Sora or the girls.

"Release those stones, all of you!!" Beast shouted from the back of the scene,

The mob turned to hear the voice of their master, the prince. Beast along with Belle still attach under his arms, raised his voice among the crowd. "What right do you all have to treat our guest in such a matter?!"

The crowd questioned and began whispering among themselves. One gentlemen spoke out, "These _guest_ destroyed our home and _your_ Kingdom?! Should we not be angry?!"

"Even so, the life of my loved ones means more of value than anything I treasured. Are you not thankful? I'm still ruler on the land, you shall do what I say. Release your stones!" He commanded.

There was grumbling and smacking of teeth in the midst of the crowd. They all realeased there stones as each one of them hit the ground and rolled off. Beast released his beloveded wife and walked through the crowd. "Most of you remember quite well, the time of the old witch's curse that was placed upon us. I was turned into a furious beast and all of you became nothing more than kitchen materials." Beast look the everyone in the eye, making sure that what he said was in all seriousness. He looked and pointed up to Sora at the hill top of the rubble which Sora stood upon, "It was _that boy,_ who you all demised, that took up the courage to fight for us to defeat the darkness that dwelt inside of us all." He made his way to the front and stood by Sora and the girls. He placed his hand on Sora's shoulder with boldness and righteousness, "We owe this boy our lives for the things he accomplished for us.

The people bowed their heads and kept silent for the moment. Sora felt encouraged by Beast's boldness as did the girls. In the midst of that, Rikku whispered in Spra's ear, "I think we should before they change their minds."

Sora nodded in agreement and tugged at Beast's shirt to get his attention, "We're going to go. Thank you!" Sora said gratefully.

Beast simply smiled. Sora looked toward the back of the crowd to find Belle. When he did, he waved and so did she. He then walked away from them all, but before he did, while they were distanced, he took one glance back at the castle, not to be discouraged but to have another reason to continue fighting.

"I have something to say." Sora said to the girls.

They gave an open ear to hear what Sora had to say, "What is it Sora?" Yuna asked,

"After we find all the items and get you three back to normal, I will still fight Maleficent when I see her." Sora said,

"Are you sure?" Rikku asked,

Sora took a breath and began to explain what really had happened, "When you three were sleeping, I met a dragon in the sky. He was the reason that the meteor came down."

Shocked and appalled Paine answered back, "If he was the cause of this, why didn't you stop him?" She said in a harsh tone.

"It's not him. Maleficent is the one behind it! He was just being used to call that meteor." He responded,

"Will he be back?" Rikku asked,

Sora pondered on that question. Was it likely that Maleficent may call on him again? "I don't know." Was Sora's answer to Rikku, "Lets just focus on what we're doing now. I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later." He said with a smile.

The girls circled around the Keyblade Master, putting out there hands upon him as he closed his eyes and in one flash they vanished out of that world.

* * *

Mickey sat in his throne room, rubbing between his eyes in frustration. Donald and Goofy saluted in respect in front of the King's presence. It was made obvious to them both that the King was troubled by something, though they couldn't determine themselves what that something is. 

"Is there something on your mind majesty?" Donald asked in his duck tone,

"Is dere somethin' on yer mind, King Mickey?" Goofy asked,

King Mickey stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at his two royal soldiers, "I get this feeling that something really terrible is going to happen, but I can't put my finger on it...I hope it's nothing too serious."

"We're always here by your side your majesty." Donald comforted,

"Thank you Donald." He thanked gratefully, "We will have to investagate this. Donald I need you and Goofy to go and visit the others worlds to see if there any clues. I will look in the Library, I believe that there is some information to this horrible feeling."

"Yessir!" The two said as they marched off.

* * *

There was a certain place in which the Mistress would spend most of her time. In a small spherical room which seemed like a library filled with many books, but the majority of it was a large crystal ball in the center in a which that she could see everything, anywhere, at anytime. 

Legion approached his Mistress with respect, "Our Mistress." He said with respect,

Maleficent stood up from a her chair and eyed her lapdog, "Your very successful, among my other wretched puppets." She approved, "When I get what is mine's, then you will get what is yours."

Legion grinned and snickered, "Thank you Mistress, our allegiance is all for you." He thanked her,

"We two will reign together when I get those girls back." she added,

Though he was flattered by her praise, it didn't relieve him of the question that rolled in is mind, "Why do you take interest in those insubordinate fairies?"

Maleficent waved around her crystal ball and green mist filled the inside whole. She pointed directly at the center, then the mist cleared. The crystal ball showed Yuna traveling along with Sora in the sands, inside of the Olympus Coliseum. "This girl is very special. She is a _summoner._"

"A summoner?" Legion asked in multiple voices.

Maleficent continued, "She commands beast of great power at the her own will...at least she was able to."

"Due to the state she is in?" Legion asked,

"Correct," she answered, "When she is still this small being she cannot summon these monsters, to summon will take masses amounts of energy only humans can withstand. I need that power to advance our steps in our eternal rule, those monsters will serve as my bodyguards. Only until that time, we will have to plan on luring them in a snare."

"If that case, we will be on our way." Legion concluded as he walked away from Maleficent's presence,

* * *

Meanwhile... 

"It very _hot_ here..." Rikku complained, "I didn't bring any lotion!"

Sora with and odd look on his face reached inside his jacket and pulled out the list, "We have two of the items, we need a ravine shard from here."

Yuna flew over to the list and with her finger shot a spark of light darting near the materials they already gathered and places they already visited. "I marked off the places we already visited, look."

Mystery Crystal - _Wonderland - _**Completed**

Power Gem - _Beast's Castle - _**Completed**

Ravine Shard - _Olympus Coliseum_

Twilight Goo - _Twilight Town_

Bright Crystal - _Radiant Garden _

"Do you remember were to find the ravine shard?" Paine asked,

He folded the paper and placed it back inside his jacket, "I'm not sure where to find this, but Herc should know." Sora said confidently,

Then suddenly, running out of the coliseum building in a flash, Phil ran past them in a desperate hurry, screaming, "I got a few words ya, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!"

Sora and girls watched him waddle on his hine legs out the doors of the coliseum, "That was weird."

"What was that thing?" Rikku asked,

Suddenly, smashing through the pillars of the coliseum were three of the Titans; Ice, Rock, and a Tornado-like titan. _"I knew it!!" _Sora shouted in his thoughts. He knew that it was him that caused it, this didn't take him by surprise. The Rock Titan stood tall driving its massive arms down into the ground, earthquakes emerge in a large sand waves.

Sora leaped cunningly backward unto a tallest pillars to avoid the waves, the girls flew up by his side. "Those things sre REALLY big!!" Rikku wimpered,

"What do we do?" Yuna asked,

"What do you mean 'what do we do'?" Paine snapped, "The _blue_ one is mine!"

"Hold on." Sora halted Paine,

The Titans stopped their rampaging. They eyed the Keyblade Master and the three fairies and begin to circle around them in a triangle form, bounding them to escape from all sides. Sora was ready to action when necessary, though they were caught in a predicament, it didn't seem that the Titans weren't moving. Each Titan roaring violently attempting to intimadate the four, but didn't attack.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Yuna asked,

"T-There just staring at us..." Rikku said cautiously,

Sora stood serious, concentrating on any movement of the Titans so that he can react. He heard laughing echo, knowng who it was.

"Ha, hey kid!" Hades called out, "Over here."

Out of smoke, Hades appeared in front of them with the Titans behind him, "I would have have nevered expected you to be here but...well...life is full of surprises, right?" He smirked,

Sora ignored his sarcasm and stood serious, "Why are these Titans out, Hades? What you doing out here?"

"I'm doing business kid. I have to go to a meeting back at Olympus. Gonna to pay ol' 'Father time' a visit along with a couple of my pals." He said, as the ice titan roared a blizzard.

"That sounds like you going to cause a problem," Sora assumed,

"Me! naw, maybe a lil' boom and a bang here, it won't be much of a reckus, trust me on this one." Hadus winked,

Sora shook his head, "You goinna think I'm going to let you go by?" Sora resisted,

"Hmm, you got a point." Hades snapped his fingers and pointed at the group, "I have to make sure you won't be a thorn on my side! Later kid."

Rock Titan swung at the pillar, breaking it into two peices. Then the battle took place. The girls split up to take on the other two titans.

On the tilting pillar, Sora leaped upon the the Rock titan, unleashed his Keyblade and struck the beast continuously on its head. The titan struggled to get Sora off him, till he quickly reached over his head, catching Sora off guard, and grabbed him whole. In the clutches of the its hand the titan raised his arms and threw Sora down into the sand ground.

Yuna and Rikku flew at the Tornado Titan. They casted blizzaga and Firaga, into the the eye of the beast. The Titan absorb it and rage back at the girls by enlarging itself so the gust can draw in anything. The girls began to be sucked into the whirlwind of the Titan.

"The wind...is...too strong!" Yuna said, trying her best to fly away,

As expected, they were drawn into the wind and round they went!

Paine had the upper hand in her battle. She flew in circles of the Ice Titan, and at certian spot of the titan's body shot a blast of Firaga at it. The Titan became annoyed, the blast didn't wasn't enough to thaw. The Titan screamed aloud, casting its hand out and releasing large amounts of Ice shards at Paine. She was caught in the line-of-fire but she ws quick enough to slip through them. Then she raced to the head of the Titan,

"You're finished!" She screamed out as she charge at the giant.

As she had gotten closer, the Titan blew a blizzard of snow in her way. Paine got caught in it and was turned into a block of Ice and fell several feet from the sky into the sand. She was defeated.

Sora awoke from unconscienceness from the immense hit. He stood up holding his head, his vision was blurry. Hades descended unto the ground where Sora stood.

"Well kid, it was fun while it lasted," Hades mocked, "Heeey, cheer up, may be you'll get me next time...that is if you ever get a next time."

Sora vision was still blurry, but he saw something bright and red head toward his direction, when he realized that it was one of Hades' blast, he was to late to move. The ball of fire hit him in his chest and he was hurled back several feet. Sora slid in the sand untill the sand slowed his sliding and was out cold.


	16. A Little More About You

**Chapter Sixteen: A Little More About You **

It was after an hour Kairi had noticed that the creature wasn't evil at all. She had built up the courage to meet the giant down at the lower level of the factory. The elevators doors swung open, she hesitantly walked forward along the small narrow walkway while glancing at the large creature. She captivated by the essence of its beauty, barely paying any attention to the steps she took. Her scanned at the wings of the white beast tucked under its belly not showing alert of hesitation, but just mere calmness. The large scales shined brightly room the light in the factory, Kairi could see her reflection through the scales clear like looking through a mirror. Black talons were terrifying and shaped well and sharp at the ends of the creature's hands. It's powerful arms were crossed over one another, fit and very muscular. Finally, the eyes of the beast are what cause to stop her walking and to stand exactly in front of it, in a trance. The eyes were as round as any human eyes were, but instead like crystals, pure and blue as the sky. _"Wow...so beautiful!" _she thought.

Apollyon never took his gaze off of Kairi ever since he'd discovered her presence. He heard her admirable comment made about him, though he couldn't show his expression in facial looks, he still could communicate, _"I'm flattered that you approve me, Thank you." _He thanked.

Kairi heard a loud echo in her head and became startled. She moved back and looked around her to find where the voice came from. She figured Legion had returned but his voice wasn't the voice she had just heard.

Apollyon notice her abrupt fear from hearing his telekinetic voice. He calmed her by lowering his tone, _"Don't fear. I am the one that speaks."_ That wasn't the only thing that bothered Kairi, _"...Legion is not here, there's no need to worry about him."_

After being pushed an bruised by that psycho spirit, she had a very good reason to worry. She never wanted to see him again, never wanting to be beat like that again. She felt some-what safe and a little calm from what the creature said, but she had realized is that it didn't move its mouth to speak. "...You didn't move your mouth. How are you speaking?" She asked the beast bravely with less fear than she had before.

Apollyon lowered his head close enough to see her but far enough to not scare her. _"There's no need for me to move my mouth, I can speak in the minds of other people."_ He wanted for her to feel comfortable around him, to remove formalities and for her see his true heart, that appearances don't mean a thing. _"I'm Apollyon, I am the last of the seven Lords of the Sky."_

Kairi had already felt secure, she had a feeling in her heart that this creature wasn't going to do anything harmful or violent. She, with full courage, began speaking normally, "Apollyon...I heard of you."

_"Have you now? I see that my reputation proceeds me then." _Apollyon said confidently.

"You are one of the three soldiers that are helping Maleficent take over worlds..." Kairi said with a small hint of anger in her tone.

As if he had any choice, joining Maleficent wasn't out of his own free will, _"I may be under the power of the Mistress, but I am not one of them."_

She was puzzled. What he said didn't make any sense. She took several steps closer to him, almost near his large muscular arms. "How can that be? If you're working for Maleficent then you must be one of them." She said, not considering the fact that there could've been any good in him.

He had to explain to her his situation, then after he would ask her a question of his own, _"If you would like to hear my explanation I would gladly tell you why I cannot disobey the Mistress. It may be a long story."_

She gave an open ear to listen to what he had to say, she even knelt down where she stood and simply nodded in agreement. Even though she may have her doubts about him, maybe an hearing what he had to say would clear up those doubts.

Apollyon began explaining, _"It began three-thousand years ago. I was a ruler of the Sky along with seven others. We live in peace for many years with humans and they treated us kindly and other seven treated us as family. __Then, there came a time of War, when man became corrupted and grew hungry for power. One man rose up against us, his heart only seek dominion and convinced others that we were ones that are evil."_

"How did he do that? If you were trusted by everyone for many years there should have been many people that spoke against him, right?" Kairi asked,

He nodded slowly, _"True, many others didn't participate in the war but rebelled instead. When the dawn of War arose when the Lords of the Skies had to fight, many humans gathered together in a large plain to fight against us. Battle began and the other six dragons held back and mercifully let their lives be taken by the sword. We believe that as gods we were to protect humans, why should we fight the weak when it wouldn't be fair? With that in mind we made an oath not to harm human but to protect them. __I remember that day very clear, many cries were let out from the death of my fellow brethren. I cried tears of blood from such a sight."_

Kairi for the moment felt his pain. How cruel and hungry were the hearts of evil men. "...I-I'm very sorry that you have to go through that." Kairi said softly, choking in her words, "What happened to you during that battle?"

_"I became angry, and broken the oath between my brethren, and violently attack all those who killed them. I flew into the sky and entered the field, scorched the humans with flames from hell and pierced through their small bodies with the strength of my claws, and made sure that their blood was spilled more than the blood they spilled from my brethren. I showed them no mercy and took revenge, as a result I slaughtered all of them for their sins."_ Apollyon was calm as he spoke, but the memories of what had happen still rolled in his mind in such hatred.

Kairi cover her mouth with wide eyes. Never has she heard a tale so gruesome. She slowly removed her hands from her mouth, "Oh my...I can't believe you. Revenge is the first step to Darkness. Did you not know that?"

Apollyon continued, _"I soon learned that. Rumors had gone around, that I was the one that had killed their people in that battle. I figured that they were going to come look for me. After the battle I had realized my error by simply looking at my dead siblings, not only had I broken the oath but I lost my trust with all the humans. Till this day I still regret what I've done."_

"What did you do after?" Kairi asked,

_"I hid in the mountains to not be seen by them and I stood there for over a thousand years...Until one day I wondered in the grasslands to feel the wonderful breeze of the wind, then after awhile I slept. While I was sleeping I felt a small presence. I opened my eyes and saw this young blond women standing right in front me. She was no older than you were and smaller than the length of my eye."_

"Was she afraid of you?" Kairi asked,

Apollyon nodded slowly, _"Her reaction was very similar to yours when you first saw me, but instead she was bold enough to go near me. She touched the side of my wing and smiled. She had a lovely smile. Though I was surprised of the courage she had to come near, not knowing how violent us Dragons could be."_

Kairi smiled, "Maybe...the beauty of your heart reached out far enough that she could see it just by looking at you." She said that sentence with such a pleasant tone of voice.

_"If that's true, I believe that only the innocent could only have that ability" _Apollyon said sadly.

Kairi nodded, "Only a person with a pure heart could see things other people can't see. I could do that too."

_"If only there were others like you," _Apollyon commented, and then continued to finish, _"She was the same way, as if she looked directly at my motives. We began to see each other for over a year, but to me it seemed like centuries. I enjoyed each of those precious moments spent with her. Among the humans, she shined above them all, no one else was like her._

This was the climax to his story and Kairi was happy for him. That Apollyon was able to have peace once again in the trails he suffered. "I'm glad that you're happy."

_"She was glad too." _Apollyon laughed, _"But there was this one day, she picked out this blue Rose from a garden and showed it to me, she told that it reminded her of me. I ask her to hold it out and I blew a small mist into it and it instantly turned into jasper, a smooth, clear, white crystal which is what my scales are made of...but as I blew unto the rose I also had blown my own life into it. From that day on, I had always kept that Rose and protected it dearly, not only for my life, but as a symbol of our eternal relationship."_

Kairi thought for a moment...then realized why he is with Maleficent, "So, Maleficent took the Rose from you?"

He nodded slowly in agreement, _"Two-thousand years later, I had the rose near my side while I slept for the night. In an instant I felt like my heart was being held in the hands of evil. I immediately awoke to find that my Rose wasn't around me, but it was in the hands of a witch, aloft in the air above me."_

_"Maleficent!" _Kairi thought,

_"Correct. The Mistress." _Apollyon agreed,

Kairi had forgotten about the whole mind-reading trick, "But...Maleficent must've not known that the Rose was your life...right?" she asked,

_"From the beginning she didn't, but eventually she used her sorcery to tamper with the rose, realizing that it had a strange effect on me. She had changed the color of my Rose from blue to black as a sign of dominion over me, and when she did I took on the seal of what you call 'Nobody'. She even threaten me to do whatever she had commanded me to do, otherwise I lose my life and my Rose." _Apollyon concluded to his story.

Kairi became filled with pity for him. She couldn't measure up to the pain that Apollyon could have suffered. "What ever happened to that girl you always was with?"

Apollyon didn't answer at the second, but shut his eyes. _"...She was murdered..."_

Kairi gasped.

He continued, _"Her people had followed her to the mountains to where I can be found. I knew I had felt someone around us and she even asked what was wrong but I paid no attention. My focus was only on her. I remember the last time we spent time together, remembering her sweet smile made me feel warm and comfortable. She didn't care what I have done in the past...'Just look ahead' were her words to me. Then when she left for the night, she smiled back at me not knowing that it would be the last time I would see it. After that night I never saw her since._

A few tears rolled down Kairi's face and her throat started to hurt.

_"For the past two months she never had visited me, I became worried so I flew out of the mountains and went to search for her. I had reached her village, but I kept my distance so I go unnoticed. I saw her being tied to a wooden pole with many loads of logs set from under her. One of the humans lit a torch and cast it into the logs. _"Apollyon started to cry tears of blood. _"The flames grew hastily, the people roared cheers of joy as they watched her about to be burned. I wanted to stop the madness, I couldn't just let her die, but from a far distance she saw me and simply smiled. 'Don't worry, don't be angry' was what she told me. I knew she didn't want me to attack by the tone of her voice...right in front of my eyes I saw her skin being torched by the flames. She scream such a terrible cry of pain and her people continued to be joyous in her suffering as they cheered even louder. I couldn't watch any longer and just flew away to a far away place to never be seen by anyone anymore..."_

Kairi burst into tears when she heard his sad tale. Her hands covered her face with her head down to her knees, she couldn't bear to imagine to what the scene would have been like. "I-I am.so s-sorry..." she stammered, wiping the tears away from her face. "I-I should have never had asked..."

Apollyon didn't answer. He just closed his eyes and kept quiet. To reminiscence on past brings back the same emotions the person had felt then. Apollyon tried to his best not to remember what happened in the past, but to hear Kairi crying stab him in the heart and he didn't want to hear it._ "There's no need to cry for me. Whatever happened in the past can't be changed, understand?"_

Kairi sniffed and nodded. Her eyes were red and her face were dried with fallen tears. Guilt buried deep down inside. A high pitch sound made its way to the factory and both Apollyon and Kairi heard.

_"BZZZZZZ..._He-llo?_...BZZZZZZ..._Is-any-one...th-ere?_"_

Kairi stood up and listen for that voice again. Apollyon saw the monitor flashing on and off, _"I see a machine flashing colors." _He said,

Kairi knew who it was. She ran back to the elevator, but stopped mid-way there to look back at Apollyon. There's eyes met...and for that moment Kairi had wondered something, but kept it to herself and entered the elevator and went up to the upper floor. When she reached there, she got out of the elevator and ran back to the monitor, "Tron...Tron can you hear me?!"

More buzz sounds came, but eventually Tron answered back, "Kairi, I finally can hold up this transmission longer now." He said,

Kairi was relieved, "That's great!"

"During the time I was out, I had done some digging through the system about Maleficent second coming. I also know where Sora is too!" Tron said excited,

Her heart jumped with joy, "Sora! You know where Sora is?!" Kairi screamed. Apollyon raise his head tall when he heard that name Sora. "Where is he? Is he okay?" Kairi asked,

"Umm..." Tron hesitated, "He's in a different world...you might say that he's, well, 'locked up'!"

Then suddenly entire system exploded. Kairi shrieked and fell backward unharmed but in shock. The monitor blew up in smoke as it slowly faded out. A large scythe extended out from the monitor, dug deep inside the system with sparks of electricity still active. Legion had entered into the room. He yanked Kairi's arm and aggressively pulled her up from the floor while she was still in a shock.

"What were you doing?" the Phantom asked,

Kairi tried pulling away, but he just held her tight, "Let me go!"

"Who were you talking to?!" He shouted and grasp tighter unto her,

Kairi winced, "Ow...y-you're hurting me..." She said weakly.

"What a nuisance!" He mocked, "Come, the Mistress wants a word with you."

Legion dragged her back into the room and she didn't put any effort to fight back since her arm is hurt. Kairi glanced back at Apollyon before she left, "_I promise you, I will get your rose back."_ She spoke in her thoughts hoping that it would reach him, but she saw no reaction. She allowed herself to be taken away and left the study room seconds later.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Underworld... 

Sora was kept in a large prison cell made of black brimstone, there were no seats or anything to rest on but only the cold, rocky and uncomfortable floor. Although the prison was large the bars were made of thick steel and were fixed closed together that not even fairies could slim through them. Yuna used magic spells to break open the steel bars. Paine floated aloft in the air and kept quiet as usual. Rikku however...

"Okay, I know were beaten badly by those giant thingies..." She said a little shook up, "But in all bad situations, there must be some good coming out of this right?" It seemed as if no one listened to her, "Besides, I believe the Keyblade Master will be able to get us out of here, right Sora?"

"I give up, the bars are just too strong." Sora fell down flat on his back with his arms out,

"Me too, I'm tired and I can't cast anymore magic." She fell gently on top of Sora, like a fallen feather.

Rikku gasped, "Oh no, Yunie not you too!"

"All we can do is be patient." Paine spoke out,

Sora layed their pondering. Hades will likely release them, but how long will he keep them there? Paine was right they will have to wait to see what will happen. He was tired and knew just by feeling Yuna rest on top of him that they all must have been tired also. So they rested in the cell.

Later, while Sora, Rikku and Yuna rested, Paine stood in the air near the corner of the cell bars with her arms and legs crossed over one another. With her eyes closed, she strangely enjoyed being alone. Sora had trouble sleeping, the ground was very unpleasant to sleep on. He open his eyes slowly and saw Paine awake, he then remembered what happened back at the castle. Yuna slept comfortably on his chest. He gently picked her up in both of his hands and placed her carefully and softly with Rikku who slept to the right of him without waking her up. After that Sora got up and walked over to Paine.

"You're not tired Paine?" Sora asked,

Paine didn't flinch, or even move. "I don't sleep much." She said nonchalantly,

Sora lean his back against the bars next to her, crossing his arms, "Listen, I want to thank you for what you did for me back at the castle."

Paine froze and was stun. She opened her eyes and loosened her pose, turning slowly facing Sora, "What do you mean?"

"Remember when everyone hated me and blamed me for the castle." Sora reminded her," You went and stood up for me when everyone pelted us with pebbles."

Paine was silent, looking down at the floor and rubbing her arm.

"I just wanted to say thank you." He got up from the cell bars and walked back next to the other girls,

"...S-Sora..." Paine called out,

Sora turned around, looking at Paine, "What is it?"

She had a tint of pink on her cheeks to what she was about to say, "...You're welcome!"

Sora smiled. It was a start, she was able to be more open to say at least 'you're welcome'. As Sora layed back down, he still had kept that smile knowing that he had accomplished at a difference in her. Maybe she will change from now on. He shut his eyes and fell back to sleep.


	17. Rebirth Riku

**Chapter Seventeen: "Rebirth" Riku**

Sora slept for only a few hours in that uncomfortable and rocky cell that he was in. At least he had some sleep to keep him going for the next day. While he slept he thought of new ways to escape from the cell, but none of his notions would have worked. He thought about Hades and wondered why he and the Titans were doing out of the underworld. Besides Hades, Maleficent appeared in his mind. He started thinking about the possibilities of her taking over the worlds. The last thing on his mind was Yuna, Rikku and Paine and the items they still needed to collect. Even though there were bigger issues, he still promised to help them find a way to make them grow. Promises must be kept. If only he knew what was going to happen to them now.

He heard a voice say, _"Don't give up!"_

He jumped up, "Kairi?" So he thought. He heard that voice before, when he was with Donald and Goofy. That same voice was often mistaken for Kairi's, in hopes that it would be her, but sadly it wasn't her. His conscience was filled with justice and giving up wasn't an option, if he were to see Kairi again he would have to fight harder than he had ever did before.

* * *

Meanwhile, out of the underworld...

"Okay boys, once we hit Olympus and take over it, why don't we celebrate by throwing a big party down in town? What do you say to that?" Hades said, flying in his chariot of darkness.

The titans liked the idea and roared loudedly. They walked slowly and limply toward Olympus.

"I thought so. I guess it wouldn't hurt if I let out a few of my pets, the sunshine will do them good." He said to himself. "Well, Olympus is only miles away. Lets pick up the pace!"

Maleficent flashed in aloft in the air and appeared in smoke in front of the party. The titans stopped but roared angrily at the Mistress. When Hades realized her, he smiled. "Look who it is, the dirty hag that thought she could rule the universe and back in the flesh I see, you look great."

Maleficent also smiled and ignored his insult, "Hades, you never had fully dedicated your heart to the darkness." she said in a greeting and calm tone of voice.

Hades shrugged, "That's because I do things my way, but forget me. The word on the street is that some Mistress is in town, but for some reason they couldn't figure out why." Hades, with all seriousness, crossed his arms and put on a straight face. "So why are you here?"

"I have a plan to bring all worlds into calamity using a source that has the power to summon beasts of power." Maleficent said,

"Hmm," Hades hummed, "Suuure...and who has that power?"

She smiled maliciously, "It so happens that she is one of your prisoners."

"She?" Hades didn't understand until he remembered Sora and the girls. Then it clicked in his head. "Oh I see, one of those little shorties has that power huh? You can take them if you want, but leave the boy in the cell."

"Thank you." She thanked him and turned to leave then stopped with her back facing him, ""You know Hades, there is always a place for you, that is, if you're interested."

Hades chuckled, "At first I thought it was a good idea." He said, "Don't get me wrong! I want to be the big boss as much as you do...but as long as that kid is around we don't stand a chance!"

"Do you not trust me?" She asked him,

Hades snapped his fingers and little flame sparked in the air, "BIIIIINGO!" he shouted, "The last time we tried, the kid gave us a run for our money. He's the one that cost me coliseum matches and a chance to take down that 'pretty boy' Hercules. You, on the other hand, were struggling to keep yourself standing. Pulling that ol' turn-into-a-dragon scam didn't work did it?!"

Maleficent snickered, "Do as you wish. I am not upset with your decision although I am disappointed that you won't join me in my eternal ruling. Farewell!" She concluded, disappearing in the shadows from which she appeared.

Hades muttered something under his breath, "Dirty old bag!" He insulted her, behind her back. He was still in disbelief about Maleficent getting that chance to rule the worlds. "Anyway, MARCH!" He shouted at the titans and they continued to Mount Olympus.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the cell...

Sora call forth his Keyblade in a sparkle of light at his right hand. He began to strike at the bars of the cell and continued to bang at it, till he would see that he put dents on it. He struck the bars hard enough to wake up the girls from sleeping. First, Yuna awoke from the corner of the cell. When she opened her eyes she saw a blurry vision of Sora and white sparks flashing from the bars. She got up and flew next to him, avoiding the swings. "What's wrong Sora?" she asked him

Sora grunted between every hit, "We can't stay here, Yuna. I _know _there's a way out of this place.!"

Rikku woke up right after Yuna did, "What's going on?" she asked,

"He's trying to break out of here." Yuna answered,

Rikku shook her head, "But Sora we've already tried everything!"

It was true, but he couldn't think negative. Staying in one place was dangerous, who knows what might happen if Hades gets back. He stopped swinging and calmed himself, what was he to do at the this point? Soon, he realized that patience is virtue. He heard someone walking steadily down. He looked out of the cell to see who it was...it was Hercules!

"Herc!" Sora called out, "Over here!" He waved at him,

Hercules saw Sora at the corner of his eye and walked over to the cell, "Sora?" he questioned, "What are you doing in here?"

"Hades and the Titans beat us to a pulp and threw us in here." Sora said, "They're heading to Olympus right now."

"I know..." Herc said depressingly, "It's good that you're here. We can really use your help." Herc noticed the girls floating behind him. "I would ask who you're friends are, but we don't have time for that."

Sora nodded, "You think you could get us out of here?" He asked,

Hercules looked at the bars, putting a good grip on it. He pulled with all the god might he had and easily broke the entire cell, throwing the bars miles away from them. "There! That wasn't to hard."

Yuna and Rikku were jaw-dropped shocked. The strength of millions in the arms of one man.

"Still a hero, huh Herc..." Sora smiled,

"You bet!" He laughed, "Anyway, lets get moving."

Everyone got out of the cell, running hastily down the the corridor. It wasn't long enough that Heartless began to appear out of the shadows from the floors. Sora looked around him, "Uh-oh! Let's hurry, Heartless are showing up!"

* * *

Meanwhile...

Riku rested against the wall in which he was nailed to, his head facing the floor. He had been there for almost three days and the blood on his hand had dried up crimson. In those passing days he hasn't seen Yuffie come by and was relieved by that, not knowing what would become of him after she left the place. Each day he would try to break free, but he was unable to, the loss of blood made him very weak.

There had to be a way! It was just vines, it could be cut down, he said to himself. Then suddenly small bolts of electricity hit on each of the vines that locked him down. Each vine snapped and Riku fell face forward and laid flat on the floor exhausted.

"Oops! I should've figured he would fall." Merlin commented. He hurried to help Riku up to his feet, "Are you okay, my boy?" Merlin asked,

Riku groaned, slowly opening his eyes and saw a blurry old man, "You're...that old guy." He pointed out, "Where have you been?"

Merlin saw the stabs and notches around his wrist. His shirt was dirty from the blood stains and his pants were torn at the ankles. "They really did a number on you. You must come with me before someone finds us!"

Riku couldn't think clearly, his head hurt and he could barely walk. "I...I can't walk." He muttered before he fell forward on the ground, exhausted.

"Okay then...give me a second..." Merlin pulled out his wand from his sleeve, "This will give off a kind of shock." He summoned a spell and threw his arms out in the air over Riku.

Suddenly a green clover mist surrounded Riku, spinning in circles as it traveled from the bottom o his feet to the tip of his head. Then it stopped. Riku gasped for air with his eyes popped open. He had been resurrected and all his wounds and scars vanished and back to full health. He pushed himself up and sat down, looking at his wrist and ankles. He jumped to his feet and smiled happily. "T-This is great! I feel - I feel better than before!"

Merlin laughed, "It just a little something from me!"

"Thanks!" He thanked gratefully.

"I also want to to give you one more thing." Merlin held his wand in front of him."Hold still..."

In a huge and immense bolt of electricity that blew out of his wand, zapping Riku. But it wasn't harmful or an attack, on the contrary. From head to toe, Riku was filled with the serge of yellow light that showed even through his eyes. Suddenly, pieces of armor formed around his legs, arms and the rest of his body, Along with a cape that unfold from the back.

"What's this?" Riku asked,

"I made this armor for _you,_ Riku!" Merlin smiled, "You and Sora need to stop Maleficent! The armor you're waring is to be worn by a Keyblade Master. As I understand it, you were supposed to be the original bearer but decided to side with the darkness...correct?"

Disappointment, "Yeah. Supposed to be..." Riku answered in tripled voices.

"Now that you don't belong to the darkness, you can stand up and fight against it!" Merlin said firmly, "You are ten times stronger than the person you are before." He pulled out the final part of the armor. The helmet.

Riku held the helmet and glanced a it. "This will help me a lot, but what do I do now?"

"Sora should be here in a few days." Merlin said. "Once he's here I can teleport you two to Maleficent's Castle. From there, its up to you boys to finish her for good!"

Riku nodded, placing the helmet on his head. "I'll wait...but for now I need to see someone!" Riku smirked,

"Who?" He asked.

Outside of Merlin's place...

"Time to go see what my sweet Riku is doi...W-Wha?!" Yuffie screamed. The door to the house was blown open and Riku walked out slowly. Yuffie didn't recognize the person, from what she saw it looked like a knight in shining armor. "Who are you?"

Riku kept silent and stood still. allowing her to figure out who he was.

"Wait...Is that you Riku." Yuffie answered.

He laughed, "I thought you never would've guessed it."

"How'd you get out?! What is that you're waring?!" Yuffie shouted,

Riku pulled out his one-winged blade and stood in fighting stance. Ignoring her question.

Yuffie pulled out a few of her shurikens in each of her hands, ready to move. "Okay than don't answer! But you're not leaving here." She summoned a ton of heartless. They all surrounded Riku from the building tops to the ground level.

"You have a choice, Yuffie! Turn away from the darkness! You won't win, not this time!" Riku warned,

"Whatever! I have a whole army here and there's nothing you can do to make me turn back!"

The end result, Riku had slew them all and was left but with one opponent.


	18. Unleash the Beasts

**Chapter Eighteen: Unleash the Beasts**

"Okay Yuffie! Where's Kairi?!" Riku shouted, holding Yuffie by the arms and pinned her against the wall. After he finished the heartless, he saved Yuffie for last. He bruise her enough to weaken her but not to kill her. She held on to his arm, trying to release him from his hold, the weight if his armor pinched her skin. "Say something!" He shouted again, and held on tighter.

"Ugh! Okay, just let me go!"' Yuffie surrendered,

Riku complied. Yuffie fell on the floor, squirming, "...Maleficent took her to see Sora."

"Where is Sora?" He asked, "Why would Maleficent do that?"

Yuffie shrugged, "I don't know."

Riku sighed. Remember what Merlin had said, he had to stay here so Sora could show up. From the look of the Radiant Garden it needed to be cleaned up anyway. There were to many people here that were taken control just like Yuffie. Time to go fix things up! "Yuffie...give me you're hand." He asked her, putting out his hand.

"Huh?" Yuffie said, looked puzzled, "Why would I do that? Especially after what you've done to me!""

"You deserved that!" He yelled, "Just give your hand, I won't hurt you."

Yuffie shook her head, "No! What are you gonna do?" She sounded afraid. "L-Leave me alone!"

"Fine." He got up and walked back to Merlin's place. "Yuffie you still have a choice." He warned, "If you don't turn away, than you lose something important, other than your heart."

Yuffie faced down to the ground. She felt immensely empty and filthy. She sat on the ground defeated, now having the chance to actually think about what she did. It didn't take her long to figure out that what she done was stupid, giving up something like a heart for power was foolish. It was the heart that is the well-spring of life. _"But it just seem so right!" _She thought. Maleficent had trick her into thinking that her unrighteous decision was the way to go. Now that she was feeling empty, she couldn't encourage herself. Conviction and regret clouded her mind and she battled against her own conscience for comfort, she even lost that battle. What was she to do?

* * *

Down in the underworld coliseum...

The coliseum in the underworld isn't as great as the Olympus coliseum. It more intimidating to the contenders who join in to fight others. Now Sora and the girls including Hercules were facing tons of heartless at the center of the coliseum. Sora drew his key blade and jump in the midst of the heartless, struck one through the chest and slashed another across it's neck, then vanished. Sora was caught dead center in the group and they jumped at him. "FIRE!" And a ball of flame surrounded him acting as a shield that when the heartless jumped at him, they were scorched to ashes.

Hercules had tossed heartless around like a bad habit. Throwing and pair of heartless and collide them with others. "Sora! JUMP!" Herc screamed from behind.

Sora looked at him and nodded then jumped high. When he did, Herc glowed in yellow aura. "RAH!" He smashed the floor and a strong and heavy quake was made. The floor rippled large waves and send most of the heartless flying out of the coliseum. Sora landed on the ground safely. "Nice one Herc!"

Rikku, Paine and Yuna finished off the rest of the remaining heartless, casting gravity to crush them and meteor to finish them for good. Huge pieces of rocks fell from thin air and hit the heartless and they vanished. They were finished.

"Okay, the entrance is only a boat ride away!" Sora said to them, "Once we get out. We could head to Olympus and stop Hades!"

Suddenly their was more heartless than before. Filling up the entire place, appearing rapidly one by one. "What's going on?!" Rikku shouted, "I thought we were done!"

Legion appeared from above them, "It seem you were wrong little one."

Everyone looked up and saw the phantom aloft in the air. His appearance to them was very frightening, Sora noticed the cloak he wore, "Are you from the Organization?" Sora asked.

"_You_ must be the Keyblade Master, we are pleased to meet you." He greeted as he bowed.

_"We?" _Sora thought. Hearing his voice in multiple tones. The heartless weren't moving, they waited patiently. "What are you?..._Who_ are you?"

"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves." He apologized, "We go by the name Legion. The reason for our name will be revealed soon. For now, we and our Mistress came to compromise with you."

Rikku put her hands on her hips, "Y'know you talk weird! And what's with your face? It's pitch black!"

"RIKKU?!" Yuna and Paine shouted,

_"Maleficent..._" Sora and Herc were back to back, keeping their distances between them and the heartless, "Herc." Sora whispered to him, keeping his eyes on Legion, "You should go ahead. I'll keep him busy."

Hercules agreed, "Sora be careful! He looks tough."

Then he took off and made a run for it. Pushing the heartless aside to make his way through to the boat. Legion watched him run but paid no mind. He attention was only on Sora and the girls. Hercules finally reach the entrance and left the underworld.

"Here's the deal." Legion said, "We've capture two of you're friends. We have one of them here."

"What?!" Sora shouted.

Legion chuckled, "Yeah. We went to that little island of yours. We saw and boy and a girl there, the boy put up a fight, kinda stubborn. We had him taken care of and your island also...as a matter of fact we use it as the footstool to the Mistress's castle."

Sora grinned angrily. The girls took notice, but Yuna felt worst about it.

"Maleficent!" Rikku screamed,

The Mistress hover near her pawn with Kairi being held by the collar, bounded by chains.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted.

Kairi didn't respond. Down on her knees, her eyes close. Her complexion almost gone. Was she dead? The question that appeared in his mind, watching Kairi not move or twitch.

"Are you up for a deal, Keyblade Master?" Maleficent asked, "Give us those fairies and we'll let your friend here go."

Silent, Sora was shocked. "What happened to Kairi?"

Maleficent smiled with an evil look. "She gave us a few problems while we were bringing her over here. To keep her settled, we put her to sleep. That is all."

"Sora..." Yuna held on to his arm, scared. There was no way that he would chose them over Kairi. Sora thought otherwise, he was stuck Considering that he was outnumbered by heartless standing along side with their leader, it would be a total lost if he took action.

Rikku flew near Yuna "Yunie, let me talk to you for a sec." Rikku whispered in her ear. She pulled her away from Sora, "We can't let Sora make this choice. They have his friend and we can't run."

"I know." Yuna answered sadly.

Paine flew in, "There's no other choice. We have to give in."

The sound of those words sunk in and wounded them. Was it going to end like this? "This is gonna be hard, epically for me." It was scary for them to do this, "Yuna I know your scared, we're scared too."

"But we have to do this, or they will take us by force." Paine said after.

"But..." She was scared, but she wasn't the only one. What made her terrified was she wouldn't know what Maleficent would do to them. But it wasn't fair that Sora had to make a choice like this. She understood that he would choose his friends then some fairy who begged for help. Yuna felt her throat hurting as she held in her tears. It was sad that she wasn't able to stay with Sora for long, knowing that she will never say what she felt inside. This was it.

"Yuna." Paine spoke.

"...Okay." With that said, the decision was final. Yuna turned around, "Maleficent!" She called out. Everyone's attention was brought to her. Sora turned around and Legion and Maleficent eyed the small fairy. "We'll go with you."

"What?! Yuna, no." Sora shouted, shocked.

Surprised, Maleficent released the chains that bounded Kairi, "Smart choice. I would've thought that we would had to do this the hard way. I appreciate making this easier for all of us."

Yuna and the girls went to give themselves in, but Sora stood in the way, "What are you doing?! Why are you giving in?!"

"Sora. It was fun while it lasted." Rikku smiled cheerfully. "I know you can beat Maleficent!"

"It wouldn't be wise to choose us over your friends. We're just strangers asking for your help, though we are grateful." Paine answered.

Sora shook his head, "But...we can get out of this."

"No. We can't." Paine spoke again, "If we attack, then Maleficent will not only capture us, but will keep your friend also. You are the only one who can stop her. If you're captured then what use will you be? We can't allow that."

Sora again shook his head, "No! You can't be serious. Yuna, you're not actually going with this are you?"

Yuna kept her head turned away, avoiding Sora's captivating gaze. She said nothing. She continued to fly toward Maleficent, as did the other two. Sora felt shot.

"Goodbye Sora." Rikku waved unhappily.

"Farewell...Sora." Paine said lastly.

Sora said nothing more, he watched them hover toward Maleficent. He could feel regret ousting from inside. He was convinced that this was the only way. The girls finally approached the Mistress and stood by her.

"That's right." Maleficent said, "You have but only one choice. You made this very peaceful, no harm will be done here." She snapped her fingers and Kairi levitated in the arms of Sora.

As soon as he was able to hold her he called out her name. "Kairi! Kairi, its me! Wake up!" He gently shook her. He felt relieved that Kairi was back with him, as long as she was with him he could always protect her. Yuna looked at them, feeling forgotten as she saw a small smile on Sora's face, hugging another girl. A tear rolled down her cheek at the sight of it, and turned away. Rikku comforted her with a hug..

"We are done here." Maleficent shouted, "Legion, gather the heartless and let us leave. We got what we want..."

"Wait!" Sora shouted. He shook Kairi once more, then put his ear against her chest. There were no heartbeats! He lifted up her eye lid. Her eyes were completely black! He gasped and dropped her. "...This is not Kairi." Sora whispered to himself. He drew his drove it through Kairi's chest. As the blade pierced right through, black ash began to fade into the air till their was nothing left.

The girls gasped. It was a fake. "Hmm...I was hoping he wouldn't figure out so soon." Maleficent said disappointed.

"You tricked me!" Sora shouted.

The Mistress nodded, "As planned."

"Sora!" The girls tried to return back to Sora. Maleficent enveloped them in a sizable cage made of black vines. "No! Let''s us go Maleficent!"

"Legion you know what to do..." Legion complied and multiplied himself into several nobodies, greatly surpassing the number of heartless in the coliseum.

"Maleficent!" Sora called out.

The army of mixed enemies rushed at Sora. He drew his blade by his side and rush at them. In speed and cunningness, Sora slashed his way through the crowd, fighting on ground and air. He twirled his blade in one smooth motion and several nobodies and heartless vanished on every swing. Sora held his ground.

"This isn't going well. Legion! End this quickly!" Maleficent called out.

"Why are you doing this?!" Yuna shouted,

"Why? Do you not know what you are capable of?" Maleficent asked, "Do you not know the power that you contain?"

Yuna thought for a second...then she knew what she meant. "You mean...What are you going to do?"

The Mistress grinned, "The power that you possess is going to the tool of assurance."

"...You're going to use me? No!" Yuna shouted, "You're not going to use me to cause more destruction! I won't let you!"

"You will, little one." Maleficent laughed, "You have no choice. You see, in moments the Keyblade Master will be captured by my soldier. If you don't do as your told, then you will watch him suffer greatly till the point of death."

"You'll see!" Rikku shouted, "Sora isn't going down without a fight."

"You're right. We shall see."

Figures of black and white began disappearing little by little. The numbers were decreasing rapidly and it was only minutes till the end result. "Let's finish this!" Sora screamed, glowing in a bright white light. Then flash! Sora soared through the crowd wielding both the kingdom key and oathkeeper, floating by his sides in his final form. In that flash, he disappeared. Sounds of swords were heard everywhere, it echo through the entire underworld. Finally Sora returned and back to his normal state, out in the open with a smirk on his face. Suddenly the heartless and nobodies froze, not one movement. Then all of them crumbled into ashes and dust. The entire coliseum floor was filled with black dust, slowly vanishing into the air. All there was left was a piece of a shard. Sora picked it up and held it up high, to show.

"Alright, Sora!" Rikku shouted cheerfully, "That was so cool!"

"I knew he wouldn't lose." Paine said happily,

Yuna sighed in relieved, smiling and holding her hands to her heart.

"Look around you Maleficent!" Sora shouted, "Now let them go...or else."

Legion came from behind Sora, "Or else what?"

Yuna gasped, "Behind you!"

"What?" Sora was quickly put in a chokehold by the phantom.

"No!" The girls said in unison.

Taken by surprised, Sora struggled to break free. "Arrgh! Let go of me!"

Maleficent laughed evilly, "The fight was well fought. A shame it had to end like this. It time to finish this."

"No!" Yuna threw herself between the vines, "What are you going to do to him?!"

Maleficent slowly turned to Yuna, "Curious to see what happens next? It only seconds away until he dies." She laughed evilly

The girls gasped, "No!" Yuna shouted, "Don't kill him! Please, just let him go!"

"Then why don't you summon those beasts of yours save him!" Maleficent snapped angrily, "Otherwise, stay quiet!"

Water began to weld up in her eyes, "But...I can't!" She choked in words.

At that moment, to Yuna, everything seemed to move slowly. Everything she heard sounded very faint, except the loud beats of her racing heart. Was it all hopeless? Maleficent raise her scepter up over her head. and Legion nodded in compliance. Yuna was scared. Her thoughts were flying in her mind, which is the only thing that she cold hear at the moment as she continued to watch Sora struggle for his life.

_This isn't happening..._

"Legion! Finish this!" Maleficent shouted...

_...This is all my fault..._

Legion raised his hand and out appeared his scythe...

_...Please don't do this..._

The edge of the blade touched Sora's neck, "We'll make sure this goes very quick!" Legion mocked.

_Why is this happening?_

"Enough! Just end it!" Maleficent shouted,

_...Why?_

"Sora!" Paine and Rikku screamed out.

_...Why?!_

"No!" Sora shouted,

Yuna glowed bright. Tears streaming down her face, "WHY?!" The cage broke open and the underworld began to shake.

"What was that?!" Legion looked around as he saw rocks falling from the ceiling.

Sora fell unconscious. Suddenly, a black mist covered him whole. The black mist sunk into his skin, then he open his eyes. A yellow radiance substituted the pupils of his eyes. Sora knew what he was, and with that, a small grin crept upon his face.

Legion took notice the change the Keyblade Master had undergo. "What the hell?"

Sora threw his head back, smashing the back of his head in the face of the phantom. "Agh!" Legion released Sora and held his face, trying to relieve the pain. Once Sora hit the floor he turned at attacked Legion. Throwing punches at speeds that passed his limits.

Meanwhile...

"Yunie what's going on?" Rikku asked curiously,

Yuna couldn't speak, in her state of trance it was not telling what she was doing.

"Stay back!" Paine shouted, "She's summoning Aeons!"

Yuna was the cause of the entire quake. The power it takes to summons beasts took lots of effort. Now, in her small body, she put in more effort than she needs to. Yuna raise her hand high. There was a distant roar coming from above.

Maleficent was taken by surprise. She knew about the Aeon but didn't know what it took to summon them. "What's going on here? What that noise?" The Mistress said hesitantly,

Yuna didn't answer. A huge blast was heard from above. The Aeon know as Bahamut, swooped down. Maleficent looked up and saw the large beast. In a split second, Bahamut dove into the Mistress, driving her down unto the coliseum platform. Maleficent crashed on the ground, the floor beneath her sheered into craters from the weight of the beast. The impact was heavy, but her magic protected her, she felt no pain.

"I was never expecting to come to this." Maleficent said in the face of the beast. Before she could fight back, she realized that the place crumbling. This wasn't the time to fight. She vanished in a mist and reappeared over the Aeon. "We'll settle this some other time. Legion! Retreat for now!" She shouted.

Sora threw Legion across the floor. The phantom slid and retaliated back, holding his chest to catch a breath before he could answer. "Yes Mistress." He pointed at Sora, "Don't think you've won. We'll be back for more." The he vanished, as did Maleficent.

Finally Sora returned to normal. The black mist vanished and he didn't realized what he just turned into, but it wasn't the time to figure that out. The underworld was crumbling.

"Sora!" Rikku called out his name.

Sora turned to her voice and ran to her. "Rikku! What's happening?!" Literally yelling over the quake

"The place is going down!" Paine yelled, "We have to get out of here!"

"Where's Yuna?!" Sora asked.

He heard the loud roar. He turned around and saw Bahamut disappeared in a bright light. The Yuna who hovered above him fell from the air.

"Yuna!" He ran over and caught her, landing safely in his hands. "Yuna?...Yuna?! Wake up!"

"Yunie! Please wake up!" Rikku cried.

There was no answer. She's was out cold. Sora was worried, but safety came first. "Paine. Rikku...can you take us to Twilight Town without Yuna?"

"We'll try. C'mon Rikku." Paine ordered.

"Right!" Rikku answered.

The girls hover on both sides of Sora and Yuna. It took awhile until they were able to teleport out of the underworld. The place fell apart rocks and brimstone fell from above and built up in the waters. The coliseum was nearly left destroyed.


	19. Twilight Goo

**Chapter Nineteen: Twilight Goo**

"That's great...just beautiful!" Hades looked upon the underworld, clutter of rock scattered all over the place. "Yeah, I leave the place for the day, lose to Jerk-ules, and to top that, the kid escapes and leaves my place a mess."

Upset and frustrated as Hades was, he still kept himself calm and looking toward the bright side. At least he didn't have to deal with him anymore. Sora was out of his hands and hopefully it was for good!

He smirks and then laughs, "Well, no more of that kid anymore." He he snaps his fingers, "Hey, you two!"

Pain and Panic make a appearance in a small burst of flame. "Yes, your gruesomeness?" The two say in unison.

"Clean this mess up! I'll be in my room." Then Hades walks away...

Seeing the entire place was a mess, Pain and Panic stared blankly, "...Where do we start?"

**...Meanwhile...**

The sun that never sets. The orange skies that never change its color. Sora and the others appear a top of the clock tower in Twilight Town.

After leaving the Underworld, Sora took the time to ponder about his new enemy, Legion. "_What was he exactly?" _Sora thought to himself. Was he a ghost? If he was, then how was he able to appear as so many nobodies? Just how many are there? What could be left after finishing Xemnas? Should there be anymore nobodies left? Yet, another list of unanswered questions. How annoying!

"...What do we do now?" Rikku ask Sora, with Yuna laying down on her lap as they were aloft in the air.

Sora sat down at the ledge of the tower and look toward the sun. It looked very similar to the sun back at the island. "I guess the only thing we can do is go and search for the fourth missing item." Sora answered. "That's what Yuna would be doing now...I think."

"Well, what about Yuna?" Paine asked, "She's in a coma and needs to rest."

Sora looked at Yuna as Rikku stroked her hair to the side. He really hope that she's okay, "How long will it be before Yuna wakes up?" Sora asked,

Paine glanced at Yuna, "...Can't say. The energy it took for her to call out a beast, especially Bahamut, was too much of a strain for her."

This was getting pretty bad...actually, it is really bad! To know that Maleficent was putting all her energy in attempting to capture the girls really made Sora worry. Along with putting himself in danger by protecting them, he was also putting the worlds in danger. They couldn't stay there for a long time. Maleficent may strike again.

Sora thought for a second, crossing his arms. Something had appeared in his mind at the moment. "...You wouldn't know why Maleficent wants to capture you three, do you?"

Paine nodded, "She had mentioned something about Yuna summoning ability."

"Summoning ability?" Sora questioned.

"Yeah, Yunie has summoning powers! She call out Aeons whenever we're in trouble." Rikku spoke out.

"You didn't see Bahamut in the Coliseum?" Paine asked,

_"Bahamut?" _Sora couldn't remember. The part of him that was a heartless had taken over him at the moment. "...I guess I was kinda preoccupied then."

"How could you have missed that?" Rikku asked, "It was a huge Aeon!"

"That would explain why the whole place was collapsing." Sora said, "I can't remember much after Legion tried to kill me."

No time to start figuring that out. Getting that fourth item was the main priority. Sora pulled out the list and scanned through it. "...Twilight Goo...where can I find that?" Seems that there are gonna have a hard time finding this one, he was gonna need help, but first things first...

"Okay..." Sora placed the list back in his pocket, "I'll go find the fourth item, while you three hid out."

"We can't come with you Sora?" Rikku asked,

Sora shook his head. "It would be better that you stay with Yuna so she could rest up. Who knows? Maybe she might wake up sooner."

Paine agreed, "But where do we stay?"

The mansion was perfect idea at this time, "There's a mansion not to far from here-"

"Oh no! Not that spooky place!" Rikku complained,

"How would you know? Have you even been there before?" Sora asked, before realizing something, "...Oh yeah I forgot, You three _borrowed _a few things from here too, huh?"

Rikku smiled, "Yup! There nothing wrong with borrowing as long as you give it back."

Sora wondered how they'll do that, "Okay then. So, I'll catch up with you later." The girls nodded and teleported off to the mansion.

Sora then jumps off the tower and starts to search out for the Twilight Goo. He lands at the front of the entrance of the train station, with people walking into the station. Nothing changed since last time Sora had been there and he was glad of it. He began thinking a little as he began walking away from the station, about how he had appeared in the town. Waking up in a capsule having no memory whatsoever about how he ended up there.

But something stuck out in his mind, he discontinued walking. There was a message in Jiminy's journal, saying "_Thank Namine!"._But if Namine was apart of Kairi, could that mean they have met before?

It was possible, but now wasn't a good time to figure that out. Must continue!

"Oof!" Sora grunted,

"Ow!" A girl squealed,

The two collided into each other as they fall to the floor in unison. The girl's bags stumbled over as she fell as well. Sora sits up to rub his head, looking over to see Olette rubbing her forehead.

Olette looks up at Sora, "Hey, its you!" She smiles.

Sora remembered her, "Same here." Sora smiled back.

"Olette are you okay?" Pence asked, dropping his bag and running to her aid.

Hayner held his duffel bag, walking pass Pence, "So, Look who came back to see us!" Hayner spoke out, looking upon Sora with a helping hand. "I hate to say this, but you came the wrong time."

Sora clasped unto his hand and heaved himself up, "I came at a bad time? How?" Sora asked.

"The mayor announced to everyone in the town, to leave the town." Hayner said unhappily. "Everyone has to leave as soon as possible."

This was strange, "That's weird." Sora commented.

"Tell me about it!" Pence complained, "He didn't even explain why!"

Sora knew something was going on. He knew in his heart that something in the town was another scheme Maleficent, but he wondered what could it be? Sora crossed his arms, frustrated.

"Now, all of us are ready to head out of town." Olette concluded. "It was nice of you to come and see us before we go...maybe you might like to come with us?"

"Yeah, man." Hayner agreed, "The train tickets are free, so you don't have to worry about paying for them."

"I can't leave." Sora said to them, walking pass them, "I need to get something first before I leave."

The three friends looked at each other, wondering what he was doing. "But wait! You can't go back." Hayner stepped in front of him, "Seifer and his gang are helping people leave the town. He won't let you back in."

That wasn't gonna stop Sora, "I'll find a way in." He pressed on. "...You can go on the train without me, I'll leave as soon as I get what I'm looking for."

"Wait!" Olette called out, "...We'll help you."

Both eyes of Hayner and Pence shot toward Olette, shocked, "What?" Pence complained,

"It will be a lot faster if we all go and help Sora." Olette walked next to Sora, "C'mon guys, what do you say?"

The mayor never gave a reason why the had to leave Twilight town, so what would happen if they had stayed there for a little while longer? Curiosity kicked in for Hayner. He shrugged, "I wouldn't mind. I'm in!" Hayner nodded,

Was this a smart thing to do? Pence had to ask himself. Maybe one last adventure in the town, would be a moment they all would remember. With that, Pence pulled out his camera, "Same here." Pence replied.

Sora could only smile and be content with the help he's getting, "Thank you guys for the help."

"So, what is it that you're looking for, Sora?" Olette asked,

"Twilight Goo..." Sora answered, "Is there any around?"

"...Twilight Goo..." Hayner thought of every place that may have it, "Well...It's this white slimy stuff with a unusually pretty smell. I don't know if the shops sell them."

"How about the forest?" Pence asked, "Sometimes it appears on the plants."

"...Didn't we have extra back at the hideout?" Olette asked, "I think we had some in a jar when went we out collecting."

Looks like work was cut out for them, "Okay then, we are gonna have to split up then!" Hayner suggest, "Sora, you gonna have to distract Seifer and his gang, so we could get through."

Sora nodded, "Okay."


	20. Chaotic Control: Pt 1

**Chapter Twenty: Chaotic Control**

**Part One**

Crowds of people were rushing across the streets. As everyone gathered there things with nothing but questions on their minds as to why they had to leave the town.

"C'mon everyone!" Seifer shouted to the crowds of people, "The mayor has requested that everyone should leave at once!"

"I don't think anyone is listen to us, Y'know!" Raijin said crossing his arms, "People have no idea what's about to happen here huh?"

"Affirmative!" Fujin agreed.

"It's not like the mayor said anything to us either, so just shut up and get everyone out of here!" Seifer spoke firmly.

Rajin didn't like his attitude, "Yo Sefier, you've been acting strange lately. What the hell is your problem anyway?"

"What if I do have a problem?" Seifer said firmly, "If you want to try and do something about it, then who's stopping you? Otherwise just deal with it!"

Fujin shook her head, "...jerk."

"Whatever! Do as you're told and you two won't have any problems with me! Is that clear?" Seifer pointed at them. He said with a serious expression.

Fujin and Raijin look at each other in disappointment, looking back at their friend, seeing how controlling he was. Was this the result of an overdose of power?

"Umm...excuse me?" Sora hesitated, as he slowly walked to them.

It was something about the voice that struck down deep in the pit of the heart, but it wasn't a good thing, it was quite the opposite. As he turned around to get a first glance of Sora, Seifer grinned sadistically.

Raijin sighed and approached Sora, "Listen, we don't have time to explain why you can't come passed here, y'know. So we appreciate it if you turn around and get a ticket out of this town, y'know!"

Fujin stood by him and added, "Leave..." A bit harshly, "...now!"

"No wait!" Seifer shoved them aside, carelessly, "I know you! You're that Sora kid, huh?" He smiled...a friendly smile?

Confused, but with a little confidence, "Yeah...I'm sorry, but I don't remember you." He responded.

"Hehe," Seifer laughed and shrugged, "I don't see how. You are on the top of the list of our Struggle Tournament. Are you sure you don't remember?"

Nope, not a clue! Sora had to continue the talking so that he could buy some time for the Hayner and the group to pass-by. What to do? "...I think I remember you." He bluffed, although he did remember the Struggle Tournament, he couldn't remember much of his opponents. "You were a great struggler, at least from what I remember." He lied...just a little.

"Ha! I knew you remembered!" Seifer paced around as he continued to talk, "I going have to admit that you are definitely better than me, totally knocking me out the stage! Even still, the whole tournament was great, even though it wasn't _real_ fighting."

Raijin and Fujin raised suspicion, trying to understand what Seifer was trying to get at.

Sora naively scratched his head, "Well...I guess it was just for fun. No one should really get hurt." He smiled, cheesy.

"You're right on that one." Seifer nodded in agreement, pacing by Sora, Fujin and Raijin, "I guess the only thing that hurts in a Struggle...is the person's pride!"

Fujin whispered in Raijin ear. Raijin nodded secretly, "Yeah! Hey Seifer, are you at all offended that he totally thrashed yo-?"

Seifer cut him off, "Shut up!" He snapped.

Offended? Sora didn't catch it. Why would he be?

"Anyway!" Seifer looked around, seeing as the streets begin to clear, "...Y'know Sora? How bout we have a rematch?"

Sora, caught off guard, "...Rematch?"

"Negative!" Fujin quickly responded,

Seifer ignored Fujin, "...How bout it, Sora? Wanna take a chance here?"

Why was he suddenly picking a fight? Hopefully by now Hayner and the rest already snuck by, but he still had to wait for a signal that Hayner planned. Had to stall a little more, but should he entertain fighting against Seifer? "Okay then! Up up for your challenge!" Sora said proudly, yet naive.

Seifer grinned, "Alright! That's what I like to hear!" He quickly put up a fighting stance.

Sora looked around him, "...Umm...where are the struggling clubs?" Sora asked,

"Hehe!" Seifer snickered, "We aren't going use any!"

Suddenly, out of thin air and in a burst of flames, appeared in Seifer's hand, his very own gunblade. Fujin and Raijin back away, seeing the intimidating weapon.

"Yo Seifer! Have you lost you're mind?!" Raijin shouted, "How did you get that sword?!"

"Sharp!" Fujin pointed out, "...Deadly!" She shouted.

"What's going on?" Sora asked sternly, "You seriously can't be using that, right?"

No answer given, "Raijin, Fujin...I want you to back away! This might be messy!"

"No!" Fujin shouted,

"We're not going anywhere, y'know!" Raijin shouted as well, "You have lost it! You know the rules of the game!"

"Who said this was a game?!" Seifer angrily looked at the two, with his eyes filled with malice, flowing with a green mist. "You won't move?!" He voice echoed, "FINE! I'll make you move!" Seifer stretch out his arm. His arm fuming with a strong flame, circling around his arm until it reached to his palm. "Forget that we were friends, idiots!" He released the flame.

"No!" Sora cried,

Too late! The ball of flame soared on mach speed toward Rajin and Fujin. The two were shocked and shield themselves as they covered there faces with there arms as they screamed. On contact, a big explosion was the effect! A mushroom cloud was made as it was lifted into the air. Seifer laughed manically, totally losing himself in the moment, finding joy in pain and demise!

Sora couldn't believe it! He ran over to them.

The smoke cleared, causing Sora to stop running to the brutal scene. A trail of black ash lead to two bodies lying lifeless on the ground, completely covered in black smoke. There lied Raijin and Fujin stationary.

"Man! That was so cool!" Seifer looked at his own hand. "That witch was right! This is the greatest power ever!"

Sora's ears shot up. "What?!" He faced Seifer.

While attempting to pass through, Hayner and the group captured the entire scene, "Oh no!" Olette screamed, running over to the aid of Fujin and Raijin. "Are you two alright?!"

"Olette wait up!" Pence called, carrying a first-aid kit.

"Seifer, you freak!" Hayner shouted at Seifer, "How are you going do that to your friends?!"

"Oh, shut up! You can't be seriously pitying them, after all the insults we threw at you!" Seifer shrugged.

Olette knelt down before the two aiding to there burns. "...I...don't even know if there alive."

Pence put his ear next to Raijin face, "...Oh no! There not breathing!"

Did they die? They all grasped death as reality, though, their conscious fought so hard not to believe it. Everyone looked at Seifer as he laughed in satisfaction. How could someone be so cruel? Sora closely examined Seifer eyes and already knew the whole story.

"What's it gonna be, Sora?" Sora called out, "Do you have enough courage to fight me? You already seen what I could do!"

"...Is there a choice?" Sora asked,

Seifer laughed, "Apparently not!"

Then immediately Sora's clothes flash with a blue light. Hayner, Pence and Olette stood in awe of Sora's transformation, Seifer change his expression into a serious one. The light from Sora's clothes slowly faded to reveal blue attire.

"What's this?" Seifer mocked, "So what? Your costume changed color, big deal! Is that suppose to scare me?"

"I hope it does!" Pence called out, "Cause Sora is gonna beat the mess out of you Seifer!"

Sora stood in his Wisdom stance with his feet gliding on the floor. "Did you guys find what I ask for?" Sora asked,

"...Sorry Sora," Pence answered, "After what just happened, we had to help out."

"Don't worry Sora. I go find it for ya!" Hayner answered, "Olette, Pence! Help get them out of here!" He commanded his crew.

"Be careful Sora..." Olette said to Sora, aiding Fujin to leave.

Everyone split up again. Hayner went out to look for the twilight goo, having Olette and Pence carry Raijin and Fujin to there usual spot to tend to there burns. This left Sora and Seifer left to duel out in the open of an empty town. Who will win?

"Finally! Since the scum is gone, we have this whole town to play in." Seifer swung his gunblade in the air, "Are you ready, Sora?"

Sora stood ready, "Your move first!"

**...Meanwhile...**

Yuna blinked. Vision was blurry, but the only thing that was clear was white. He threw her hand over her forehead, rubbing away the headache that appeared suddenly.

"All right!" Rikku shouted happily, "Yunie woke up!"

"Faster than expected." Paine added, "How are you feeling?"

Yuna noticed that room she was in. It was the white room in the abandon mansion. She layed on the white desk, but sat up to see Rikku siting by her and Paine standing in front of her. "I'm fine...I think. My head hurts a little."

"That's normal." Paine step down and gave Yuna a potion, "I'm guessing this: since you haven't summon Aeons for a long time with the stress of being in this small form, your body broke down. I was expecting that you would wake up days later."

Yuna looked around the room, "...Where's Sora?"

"He went to look for the one of the items on the list." Rikku grabbed the potion and opened it, "Drink up, Yunie." She handed it back to her.

"I wonder how long it takes Sora to find that thing. I'm gonna go check." Paine said impatiently, leaving the room.

With Paine gone, Rikku had a chance to talk to Yuna about a concern that has been on her mind when they arrived in this town. Yuna drank till the bottle was empty. Rikku took back the potion and out it down, "Yunie we have to talk about a certain someone...bet you know who!"

Yunie blushed, "...Sora?"

Rikku sat close to Yuna, "Yeah, him." What Rikku was ready to say Yuna wasn't gonna like it...in fact, it might hurt her. "Yunie...ever since Sora has been with us, he's been blaming himself for all the stuff that happened in the other worlds. Not to mention that he's been fighting for us for awhile now, getting himself hurt so that he could help us in the best way he can."

It was true. Sora did go high ways to help them, when he really didn't have to. Yuna had worried about this even before they approached him back at the island. Yuna cuddled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

Rikku continued, "Maleficent somehow made herself stronger that she is destroying all the worlds, but you know the reason why she's doing that."

Yuna lowered her head down unto her knees, "...I know." She said unhappily.

Rikku threw her arms around Yuna's shoulder, "I know you like him Yunie, but we almost had him killed. If you like him then you would do what's best to keep him form getting hurt."

"Then should we do?" Yuna asked, "I never wanted to hurt him..."

Rikku rubbed her back for comfort, "I know you didn't Yunie. He has got us really far now, we could get this last item on our own."

Yuna shot her up, "...What are you saying?"

Rikku sighed, "I'm saying that...you should tell Sora good-bye...for good."

"..." Yuna couldn't speak. She had nothing to say in her defense to stay with Sora. All that Rikku said was true, so all she could do is agree. "...But wouldn't Paine be angry if she knew that we are leaving Sora?"

"Actually, Paine is the one that wanted me to talk to you about this. She was the first to come up with the idea of leaving and I agree with her." Rikku answered,

Paine was the one who came up with this idea...then Yuna knew that she couldn't disagree on this one, "Okay...but how do are we gonna say it?"

"No, not 'we'." Rikku stressed, "You are gonna say it."

"Why me?" Yuna asked,

"Well, we know once we tell Sora he's gonna try his best to convince us not to leave." Rikku thought, "Even though he hasn't showed it...he _might_ really have feelings for you."

"Really?" Yuna's heart lifted,

"C'mon Yunie. The thing about boys is that they have to act tough so they could impress us girls. Sora isn't the type of boy to show his feelings. I hate to say this, but if you were to tell him that we're leaving, he'll feel so bad that he would have to let us go."

The plan sounded really cruel, "I don't want to do that! I rather leave without him knowing."

Rikku shrugged, "Do you have a better way of doing this? I think its better that he's feelings get hurt rather than _him _getting hurt."

Yuna thought fort awhile, but nothing came to mind...until she looked down into her shirt to see a vile that Rikku had given to her. She pulled it out and looked at it. Then she smiled as a notion came to her mind at that instant. "Y'know...I have an idea."

**...Meanwhile...**

Sora and Seifer had been fighting for a good amount of time. With the power of darkness that over took him and now dwells in his heart, Seifer fought more aggressively. To Sora's amazement, he was really strong!

Seifer stood on top of the one of the buildings of the town, while Sora stood below. "Let me ask, why did you give up your heart for power?" Sora shouted,

"Are you sure you wanna here a story in the middle of our fight?" Seifer complained.

Sora shrugged, "I just wanna know!"

"Alright, if you're that curious." Seifer loosened himself, "After you beat to a pulp during the struggle tournament, I was all upset and such and only wished to myself that I were stronger. Then this witch comes up to me and tell me that I can become stronger, more stronger than you! So, with no questions asked, I accepted gratefully."

"Idiot." Sora muttered, "You have no idea what you did, do you?"

"Who cares?!" Seifer gripped his gunblade tightly, "All I want to do now is determine who's better with the new powers I have gained!"

"You have nothing!" Sora shouted, "You have lost the very core of who you are and substitute it with darkness. How could have gained anything when you lost the one thing that matters?!"

"Shut up and fight! I'm tired of talking!" Seifer lifted his hand up into the air, and suddenly the sky darkened.

The sky turned black, very similar to what happened at Wonderland. Sora looked up to see the sky turn, thunder sounded everwhere. Clouds began to open up and meteors began falling miles from the sky down upon the entire town.

Sora's blood boiled, "No! What are you doing?!" Sora shouted angrily at Seifer.

"What's it look like?!" He shouted back, "I'm trying to kill you!"

Sora clench his fists tightly, "You're going to destroy the town!"

"What? Are you scared?" Seifer taunted, "Let's see how many of these you can avoid!"

The meteors came down fast. One crashed into the building, smashing through its exterior. Then one soared down with Sora standing right under. Sora skid out of the way, the flaming meteor smashed through the ground.

Sora's eyes shot open, looking down at a large hole created by the meteor. It was a huge pit of darkness, in which the meteor. He realized that that Seifer was given the power, granted by Maleficent, to completely send Twilight Town into oblivion. Seifer's heart was totally converted.

"The hell?! I missed..." Seifer shouted, "Stay still!"

Sora took no chance. He aimed his Keyblade at Seifer and shot rapid shots at him. Seifer stood ready, as each shot came at him he simply twirled his gunblade in front of the shots in a non-stopping circle. Shot scattered at it connected directly with Seifer's weapon. Sora stopped shooting and jumped toward Seifer, and Seifer did the same. Their blades clashed in the air, waves blew the debris away.

"You have no idea how much power is running through my veins right now." Seifer laughed, his eyes blazing dark green, resisting Sora's blade with his own, "You already have natural power...imagine how much stronger you could be!"

"The reason why I have so much is because of the illuminating fire in my heart." Sora answered, "You wouldn't understand, you gave yours up!"

The two dropped down, landing on the ground below them and jumping bakward to put distance between them.

"What's the point of light?! There is darkness everywhere you go, so why even try to fight back when it always comes back?" Seifer asked.

Seifer snapped his fingers. A hole opened under Sora's feet and he fell through, closing back up. Seifer threw his hand up high in the air, the ground broke from its place and lifted into the air. With Sora inside of the large, levitating piece of the ground, Seifer threw his hand down. Suddenly the huge rock violently shook and soared into one of the nearby houses. The rock smashed into pieces along with the house that tore down, pieces of debris puffed into a large cloud mass that surrounded the site.

Seifer smiled, "That should have broken his...What?!" He looked upon the rubble, but Sora wasn't in the pile.

Sora appeared in a flash of bright golden light, twirling both the Kingdom Key and the Fenrir in his hands. He stood in his fighting stance transforming into his Master form.

"What is this?! Your clothes changes colors?!" Seifer complained, "This is a fight, not a fashion show!"

"Listen, I'm giving you on last chance stop this! Are you gonna agree?" Sora warned.

Of course not, "Tch! Yeah right!" Seifer answered.

"Then this ends now!" Sora charged at him...


End file.
